Up to 60% of early-stageLyme diseasecases are missed, andChristopher Melonihas seen firsthand how brutal the disease can be when it progresses into a chronic state.
TheLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitactor recently spoke to PEOPLE about how the disease has directly impacted his family as he becomes the latest celebrity ambassador to star in a new PSA for theGlobal Lyme Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to curing Lyme and other tick-borne diseases through research, awareness and empowerment for patients.
Christopher Meloni.Global Lyme Alliance
Global Lyme Alliance
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Early stage Lyme symptoms include headaches, flu-like symptoms, joint pain, fatigue and sometimes a rash that has many different shapes including one which may look like a bullseye centered on the tick bite.Late stage Lyme symptomscan include paralysis, agonizing joint pain, neurological problems, severe headaches, problems with memory, hearing, and vision, inflammation of the brain, and inflammation of the heart.
“It presents itself as any number of things,” Meloni says. “In my family’s case, we thought we were dealing with a stomach flu and then later it turned into relentless migraines and then we were dealing with arthritis. It’s a laundry list of horror show potentialities, and I was surprised how little and poor the information was being given out to the public.”
“And then on top of it, to add insult to injury, you’re dealing with organizations that snub you and actively say you are crazy or overreacting, you are wrong,” he adds. “It’s a nightmarish scenario to live through.”
Meloni credits his wifeSherman Williamsfor spearheading their personal research and helping their family find solutions early on. “She left no stone unturned and she was the driving force at getting answers. She was relentless,” he raves. “She’s the hero of all of this.”
Chris Meloni and Sherman Williams.Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan/Getty
In that journey of finding help, the father of two says they connected with the Global Lyme Alliance.
“Our relationship with the Global Lyme Alliance was born in a vacuum of desperation and people looking for answers,” Meloni says. “We felt as though they were our lifeline, our tribe, our community because they were the ones fighting the real fight.”
“You want people to recognize what is happening and empower those that are suffering. And that’s what the Global Lyme Alliance is doing for us,” the actor adds. “We’re in the boat with them trying to row people in the same direction, what we feel is the right direction towards understanding this disease and finding some kind of solution.”
Meloni urges people to join his and the nonprofit’s mission of raising awareness for more research and supporting patients.
source: people.com
