Recently at the Lakes Entrance Life Saving Club the finale of Tanner McMillan and Ed Blandford’s Awareness Walk for the Lyme Disease Association along the 90 Mile Beach was celebrated.
Approximately 100 people were present and a final tally of the money raised by the boys and all their supporters was more than $180,000. This included $2000 donated by the local Masonic Lodges and $10,000 from the Freemasons Foundation of Victoria.
A wonderful anonymous donation of $100,000 was also received and is included in the final total.
During the celebration a number of speakers, including the President of Lyme Australia, spoke about the lack of understanding, empathy, control and recognition means that being sick with Lyme Disease in Australia is much more debilitating than it needs to be.
In addition to the challenge of living with the symptoms of chronic illness, people continue to suffer alone. Without support from Australia’s medical system, they are left to suffer and fend for themselves.
Tanner gave a wonderful presentation and how the support of the association had enabled him to overcome some of the worst aspects of the disease and live as good a life as he could. The walk along the 90 Mile Beach, the awareness to the disease and the funds that were raised was Tanner’s way of giving back to those who work so hard for the organisation.
Tanner’s family spoke of the numerous times that they needed to drive to Sydney for treatment and support, as without that, his family could not have survived the ordeal.
