Lyme Disease in Nova Scotia & the Atlantic Provinces

04/12/2026

My latest blog post - https://shiningthelymelight.com/.../should-a-cost.../

I'm asking for a favour. If you read my blog posts, could you like, share, comment, give feedback and/or give suggestions on new things to write about.

I will also be doing one shortly on Lyme Disease Awareness Month. We already have two Proclamation readings/flag-raisings confirmed and many municipalities throughout the province will be doing their part by proclaiming May as Lyme Disease Awareness Month and will be lighting up facilities when and where they can.

As hopefully you all know by now, ticks can be active any time of the year when the temperature allows but now they are active pretty much all the time.

Please stay safe!

https://shiningthelymelight.com/2026/04/12/should-a-cost-analysis-be-undertaken-re-lyme-yes/

A little background first. The Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Act was Assented to on December 16, 2014 – In 2016, a conference was held in Ottawa to discuss Lyme and develop a federal fram…

04/12/2026

The next NS Lyme Support Group meeting is Tuesday, April 14th, at 12:00pm, via Zoom.

All are welcome.

Please email or PM me if you would like to receive a link.

As a reminder, we meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. We have only had to change that one or two times over the years.

Donna

04/10/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

On the morning of Friday, May 1st, there will be events at Halifax City Hall and Province House for Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

More info to come but if you live/work in the area, or are willing to travel, we would love to have you there in support of those dealing with tick-borne diseases and those raising awareness.

04/07/2026

Learn how to remove a tick before you need to as doing it incorrectly can be hazardous to your health.

”Avoid squashing ticks with bare fingers as infection may enter through breaks in your skin, such as close to the fingernail.”

Learn how to identify and remove a tick from your body. Also find out how to submit a tick for identification and possible testing.

04/02/2026

Tonight! Interested?

Hi folks!

As our organization grows, we have some new membership who are moving a website and pamphlet project forward with a focus on sharing what they as lyme sufferers would have wanted to know.

We are looking for folks to assist in the website project, even if you only have writing or research skills, though graphic design and website skills are also welcome.

If you would like to be involved in this or advocacy, this is a small, laid back but passionate group moving our goals ahead as we can. (we've all had lyme and learned to be patient with ourselves and others!)

Please join us for our 2026 AGM to hear about the project and meet the folks making it happen.

April 2nd at 6:30 pm, message us for zoom information!

03/21/2026

From the Public Health Agency of Canada:

National Tick Awareness Month: Protecting Pets and People

March is National Tick Awareness Month, led by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, focuses on tick awareness to help protect pets and their people.

Tick activity in Canada is expanding and can occur whenever the temperature is consistently above freezing, and the ground isn’t covered by snow, increasing the potential for exposure across seasons. Because pets can carry ticks into homes and close contact with people, tick prevention in pets is an important part of protecting human health.

Learn more:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/ticks-tick-borne-diseases.html

https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/veterinary-resources/practice-tools/national-tick-awareness-month/

March is National Tick Awareness Month, a client-education initiative introduced in 2016 by the CVMA in partnership with Merck Animal Health. Thanks to the enthusiastic response of the Canadian veterinary community to the campaign, a growing number of pet owners across the country are now aware of t...

03/05/2026

Hi folks,

The next NS Lyme Support Group is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, at 12:00pm, via Zoom. Please let me know if you would like the link.

FYI, people from other provinces can attend.

Donna MacPherson Lugar

02/03/2026

My latest blog post re Lyme and tick-borne diseases.

It’s hard to think about Lyme and tick-borne diseases (TBD’s), at least for me, due to everything that is happening in the world, especially to the south of us. Social media has many wo…

01/29/2026

Wow, even I thought it was too cold for them right now, although it doesn’t quite look like a black-legged tick. Another type?

FYI, recent research suggested that black-legged ticks carrying the Lyme bacteria have a better chance of surviving the winter.

Our colleagues at Westwood Hills had this creature brought in today, it's a well fed black legged tick, this type of tick can spread Lyme disease. In spite of all the cold weather ticks are adaptive to different climates and still on the move.

01/22/2026

There was a recent segment on Lyme in Canada by CBC that included outdated information (like just mentioning the bull’s eye version of the erythema migrans Lyme rash) and information to suggest that there is no such thing as a chronic version of Lyme.

FYI, MIT is looking into what causes long term issues - https://talresearchgroup.mit.edu/. Many others are as well.

It’s unfortunate that this type of segment is still happening in 2026. Might it have something to do with a Panel Discussion that is happening in Quebec in early February? There is a one hour panel discussion the day before a Lyme Conference hosted by TickNet. The Panel Discussion includes four knowledgeable doctors discussing - “Navigating Complications of Lyme Disease: Translating Research, Practice, and Experience to Improve Patient Care” - https://event.fourwaves.com/publicengagementevent2026.

In 2019 Nova Scotia had the Bridgewater Lyme Conference. A couple of months before the conference a doctor from the US was brought to the province to speak to doctors. Several times he said “It’s only Lyme” and minimized how it can affect people. Trying to detract from what knowledgeable doctors and researchers are going to say seems like an actual method used in this country. Why?

Many have sent a response to CBC. Thank you.

https://canlyme.com/2026/01/chronic-lyme-is-real/

Despite their intention, recent news broadcasts have the potential to put patients at further risk.

01/07/2026

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all were able to have a nice holiday season.

The next NS Lyme Support Group Meeting is Tuesday, January 13th at 12:00pm. Please let me know if you would like the link.

As an FYI, I’m having difficulty with my email Lyme group and am unable to send a reminder out to everyone. Therefore, you may not get an email reminder.

All are welcome.

11/25/2025

Still looking for help with our Nova Scotia Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Association - https://wp.me/p7rxZL-qC. Please read and help out any way that you can.

In November of 2024 the Nova Scotia Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Association was officially formed. At that time we had a six member Board. Due to a variety of issues, such as moving out of the p…