CT man's bout with Lyme disease spurs call for action

A Greenwich man's battle with Lyme disease has helped spark officials to develop a new plan that aims to stomp out the illness. Dwight Harris says he has battled the tick-borne disease for 20 years. Doctors

News 12 Staff

Aug 5, 2012, 9:50 PM

Updated 4,415 days ago

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A Greenwich man's battle with Lyme disease has helped spark officials to develop a new plan that aims to stomp out the illness. Dwight Harris says he has battled the tick-borne disease for 20 years. Doctors say Lyme's disease short-circuits the central nervous system, causing a devastating array of symptoms, from paralyzing stiffness to memory loss. Unless it is caught early and eradicated with antibiotics, the illness can be difficult to treat and diagnose. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-C.T.) wants to create a federal advisory council to give patients like Harris a seat at the table, to better promote research, diagnosis and treatment. The senator says he's mounting an aggressive, bipartisan campaign to combat Lyme disease in southwestern Connecticut, where's it is especially common.Harris says the news is a ray of hope for countless sufferers.