Painting the town green

A group of Kojonup women want to paint the main street green to raise awareness of a little-known disease in their town.

May is Lyme disease awareness month and there are five confirmed cases in the town of the debilitating but treatable illness, which is caused by bacteria present in some ticks.

Vicki White’s 17-year-old son Damien Ramsden was diagnosed with the illness three weeks ago.

As a result of his condition, he could not complete his Year 12 studies and the family has regular Skype appointments with a doctor in America.

“Damien is chronically ill, basically bed and housebound,” Mrs White said.

Damien developed symptoms of the disease, including vomiting, nausea, pain, and an inability to focus and developed a bulls-eye rash that occurs in 35 per cent of infected people.

Sue O’Halloran is now about 80 per cent cleared of the illness.

Ms O’Halloran started treatment for the disease in July 2012.

“I was fit, strong and healthy — I then just got bowled over ... like I was hit by a truck,” she said.

“I knew there was something drastically wrong and I knew that I had been bitten by ticks.”

Mother of two Joanne Bower was diagnosed soon after having her second child and, since receiving treatment, her health has improved.

“We might look OK on the outside but we feel miserable on the inside,” she said.

“I’ve got to keep going. I have two kids, I can’t lie in bed all day.”

WA Lyme Association spokesperson Rebecca Vary said more than 450 West Australians had been diagnosed with Lyme disease, with the numbers limited by the availability of doctors suitably trained to diagnose and treat the condition.

“Lyme disease has now overtaken AIDS as the fastest-growing infectious disease in America and has been found on every continent except Antarctica, but Australian health authorities continue to deny the disease exists here,” she said.

Last year, the Department of Health established a clinical advisory committee to review Lyme disease in Australia and commissioned a study to identify research priorities.

Kojonup residents and businesses are being encouraged to promote awareness of Lyme disease by buying green light bulbs from the organisers for $2.50.

Southern Dirt will also be selling bulbs at their premises.

Posters and other lime-green decorations will also be on sale.

The women hope that from May 12 to 18 the main street will be lit up by green lights to raise awareness.

“The support from the community is going to make a huge difference,” Mrs White said.