Lyme Connection Presents: The Quiet Epidemic
Lyme Connection, Ridgefield, CT whose mission is to make the community a healthier place by preventing tick-borne diseases and supporting patients and their families throughout their illness is excited to be bringing The Quiet Epidemic, an important and provocative new documentary about Chronic Lyme disease, to The Ridgefield Playhouse on May 8, 2023. Doors open 6 PM.
The film premiered at the prestigious Hot Docs International Film Festival last spring, where it was voted into the Audience Top 20 out of 200 films. It then went on to screen at another 20 festivals, and won the Best Feature Documentary award at Doc Utah last fall.
The filmmakers, Lindsey Keys and Winslow Crane-Murdoch met while they were patients of the same Lyme treating doctor. They decided to team up on a documentary to expose the grim truths about Lyme disease and to look for answers.
May is Lyme disease awareness month and Lyme Connection hopes you will join us for this special screening to help raise awareness about Lyme disease in our communities.
The film follows a young girl from Brooklyn and a Duke University scientist both diagnosed with a disease said not to exist: Chronic Lyme disease. The Quiet Epidemic follows their search for answers which lands them in the middle of a vicious medical debate. What begins as a patient story, evolves into an investigation of Lyme disease, dating back to its discovery in 1975 in the bucolic town of Lyme, CT. A paper trail of suppressed scientific research and buried documents reveal why ticks-and the diseases they carry-have been allowed to spread quietly around the globe.
Others interviewed for the film include Dr. Steven Phillips, Dr. Richard Horowitz, Dr. Ken Liegner and investigative reporter Mary Beth Pfieffer.
Since the 1975 discovery of Lyme disease in Lyme, CT, Connecticut residents have become accustomed to seeing Lyme disease among their family, friends, and communities. In 2022, Connecticut statewide infection rates of Ixodes scapularis ticks (deer ticks) taken from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station website indicate that 54.4% of adult deer ticks and 29.5% of nymphal deer ticks are infected with the causative bacterial agent of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi).
This film allows audiences to understand the realities of Chronic Lyme disease and will hopefully be the catalyst for change among current harmful CDC policies.
With The Quiet Epidemic comes more awareness, understanding, and better treatment for Lyme disease patients everywhere which is so desperately needed.
For further information please see LymeConnection.org or RidgefieldPlayhouse.org for ticket information.