From the Lyme Illness Affiliation web site:
It’s with deep unhappiness and a profound sense of loss that we share the information of the passing of our pricey pal and long-serving President of the Lyme Illness Affiliation Inc, Patricia V. Smith.
She died peacefully on August 17, 2024, below hospice care, together with her household at her bedside. These of us lucky to have labored intently with Pat might have began as fellow advocates, associates, colleagues or board members, however we shortly grew to additionally grow to be her mates. We noticed ourselves as her prolonged household and Pat all the time handled us as if we have been.
To say she was a strong pressure for good within the Lyme disease neighborhood is an understatement. Backed by her husband, Wealthy, she traveled the nation, connecting with individuals, communities, and authorities businesses. All of us knew that her telephone by no means stopped, particularly when an affiliate member wanted assist getting good Lyme laws handed of their state. She identified the obstacles and landmines within the proposed invoice, in addition to the nice factors. She was a tremendous instructor.
Above every thing else, Pat liked her household. After we have been collectively at conferences, she advised us heartfelt tales. When her first grandchild was born, she was completely joyous. And with every grandchild, her pleasure elevated. She was happy with her household and liked to be with them.
We thank Pat’s household for graciously sharing her with us. We notably thank Wealthy for his never-ending help of her work, our work, serving on the Board as vice chairman of the LDA, and being by her facet at so many conferences and occasions!
Fiercely dedicated
Why was Pat so dedicated to the group she took over? She gave a couple of causes:
Her personal daughter’s sickness gave her an consciousness of how severe Lyme may very well be, which led to her life’s work.
It was concerning the youngsters with Lyme, to help analysis that might finally assist them get nicely and to take away the obstacles to analysis and therapy.
It was concerning the moms. When her daughter was hospitalized on account of Lyme, she met different moms, they usually acquired to know each other. She advised one of many associates that she didn’t wish to see one other mom endure alone, recognizing how painful isolation was for these mothers.
Wherever doable, Pat constructed relationships. She constructed the LDA Affiliate Community, bringing collectively giant and small advocacy teams nationwide. Assembly yearly, the night earlier than the LDA Annual Convention, the advocate members acquired to know one another, and the work they have been doing. Pat and the LDA usually partnered with Lymedisease.org (an LDA affiliate) on giant nationwide initiatives.
Pat met her Congressman, Christopher Smith (R-NJ), at a city corridor assembly in Wall Township, NJ in 1992, the place Pat defined the plight of Lyme disease sufferers, together with her personal daughters.
Congressman Smith instantly turned dedicated to Lyme disease points. He and Pat shaped a friendship, which Pat dearly valued. Their collaboration on behalf of Lyme disease sufferers, households, and well being care suppliers lasted over 30 years.
Testifying earlier than Congress
Pat labored with Congressman Smith on many Lyme/TBD points through the years, together with offering LDA’s enter throughout the federal appropriations cycle yearly. Pat twice testified earlier than the US Home of Representatives on Lyme disease – earlier than the Overseas Affairs World Well being & Human Rights Subcommittee and earlier than the Power and Commerce Well being Subcommittee.
Apart from serving as President of the LDA for over 27 years, Pat was a member of Columbia College’s Lyme and Tick-borne Illnesses Analysis Middle Advisory Committee and a member of the Surroundings Safety Company’s (EPA) PESP Partnership to advertise avoidance of tick publicity.
She served on a number of panels for LymeX, the public-private partnership between the Cohen Basis and HHS.
Pat served two phrases as a public member of the HHS Tick-Borne Illness Working Group (TBDWG). Her accomplishments within the group included serving on a number of subcommittees. She co-authored and contributed to a number of vital paperwork inside the group. She was concerned with the US Military and Congress in numerous endeavors.
Pat was a founding member of ILADS (Worldwide Lyme and Related Illnesses Society). She was additionally a member of the Power Lyme Skilled Panel of the web journal “Contagion: Infectious Illness Right now.”
Funding Analysis
Pat led the efforts to boost funds for researchers nationally. The LDA awarded 127 analysis grants – analysis that was acknowledged in 62 scientific journals.
She organized 22 scientific conferences, providing CME credit for physicians, most sponsored collectively with Columbia College, with Brian Fallon, MD, as Co-Director. She spoke at many conferences – The College of New Haven (CT), California Lyme Illness Affiliation (now Lymedisease.org), Midcoast Maine Lyme Training and Assist, Colorado Tick-borne Consciousness Affiliation, Lyme Connection (CT), and ILADS. She has spoken at tons of of public faculty, enterprise, and authorities occasions.
Pat led the LDA in its efforts, with Time For Lyme in CT, to endow the Columbia Lyme and Tick-Borne Illnesses Analysis Middle in New York, which opened in 2007.
Her accomplishments are too quite a few to say! For extra data on her extraordinary achievements as President of the LDA, click on right here for her bio. Pat’s life earlier than the LDA can be out there there.
Serving to households
She was all the time dedicated to serving to youngsters and households, immediately or not directly.
The ABC’s of Lyme DiseaseTM brochure may be very useful to provide out to members of Little one Examine Groups at college conferences in addition to to folks to start instructing them concerning the results of Lyme on college students. The LymeR PrimerTM (translated to Spanish in 2020) options 20 tick-borne ailments, prevention, signs and tick identification. Finally depend, over 2.5 million instructional objects have been distributed!
Pat has offered oral and written testimony to help the passage of federal and state laws for Lyme analysis and doctor’s proper to deal with. (CT, MA, MD, MN, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI.) Click on right here for Pat’s Testimonies, Speeches & Positions
Pat has been given quite a few awards by numerous organizations, and has had her articles revealed. Click on right here to view her checklist of publications
All the time considering of kids and households, she labored with creator Amy Tan on creating LymeAid 4 Children (LA4K). This fund helped pay for analysis and therapy for kids with Lyme and tick-borne illness and whose households have monetary difficulties. LymeAid 4 Children has, to this point, awarded over $475,000.
LDA to shut its doorways
Pat is now not with us, and the choice has been made to shut the LDA doorways in December. We’re working to maneuver a number of the LDA applications to different teams and organizations. We now have determined to honor Pat by transferring possession of LymeAid 4 Children to the Colorado Tick-Borne Illness Consciousness Affiliation (COTBDAA), the group of longtime Lyme Advocate, Monica White.
Monica White has been a member of the LDA Affiliate Community for eight years, working intently with Pat. She has been a steadfast advocate for Lyme sufferers and households. We’re assured that she’s going to run this program with the identical excessive requirements that Pat did. We’re thrilled that the identical volunteers who labored on this program will stay with it because it strikes to Monica’s group.
If you want to make a donation in Pat’s reminiscence, please go to COTBDAA’s web site and click on on LA4K within the drop-down menu. https://coloradoticks.org/donate/
Those that knew Pat understood that no matter she would undertake can be proper and simply. She by no means compromised her rules. If she realized that one thing was not sincere or in pursuit of justice, she would stroll away. We might all depend on her having the best integrity and being a superb thinker. Our requirements turned larger below Pat’s affect.
We’ll really miss our beloved pal, mentor and chief. We’ll carry her in our hearts and in our lives. Thanks Pat Smith for making the world a greater place.
There can be a Celebration of Life at Ely Funeral Dwelling, Neptune, NJ on Saturday, September 7, 2024 at 12-3pm. Please verify again right here for updates and dwell stream possibility.
Warmly,
LDA Board of Administrators
Richard H. Smith, BA, Government Vice President, Treasurer
Corey Lakin, AB, 2nd Vice President, Technical Assist
Ruth Waddington, RN, Secretary
Jeannine Phillips, BA, Board Member
Timothy Lynagh, MBA, Board Member
