NEW YORK, April 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In advance of May 2018's Lyme Disease Awareness Month, Irene McGee, (http://www.nap4lyme.org), has announced what could be the best internet challenge to date… a nap challenge. You're going to get a peek inside how America sleeps, as they join the mission to raise awareness about Lyme Disease as they #nap4lyme. Who doesn't want to curl up for a mid-day nap with a pillow, your beau, your dog, or your baby and snap a pic for a good cause? In a newly released video, McGee manages to capture the seriousness of living with chronic Lyme Disease coupled with extreme humor to create the #Nap4Lyme challenge. Fatigue is one of the most common early symptoms of Lyme Disease and is crippling in later forms of the illness. The goal is to raise awareness and money about America's #1 infectious disease for which there is currently no cure if not diagnosed early.

The founder of the movement, (that doesn't require much movement), is a popular late 90's MTV Real World Star Irene McGee. McGee came to fame in the late 1990's in one of the Real World's most memorable exit's in the shows history. During the filming we saw her relapse with Lyme Disease. It was the first time Lyme Disease took the National stage on television. It was such a memorable TV moment that her health condition was referenced this year in the Academy Award-nominated movie "The Big Sick" when Emily suddenly fell ill and Kumail's character wonders if it's "she could have lyme disease like that girl on the real world."  

"I wanted to raise awareness for Lyme disease, but I would NEVER ask you to run a marathon, or even go for a walk. How exhausting! And Lyme sufferers can't participate because of joint pain," states Naptivist Irene Mcgee. "We need activism for people…that can't be active!"

Nap4Lyme is asking all social media users for the month of May to take a nap, snap-a-nap with the hashtag #Nap4Lyme. Tag your friends in need of a nap and donate. All proceeds will go to Lyme Disease awareness and research for a cure.

A few facts about Lyme Disease

• Every two minutes someone in America gets Lyme. There are over 300,000 cases of Lyme disease a year
  
  
• Early symptoms of lyme disease include fatigue, flu-like symptoms, joint pain, bulls-eye and other rashes, forgetfulness and more.
  
  
• If not caught early, there is no cure for people with "chronic" Lyme or post-treatment Lyme Syndrome. If not caught early 40% of Lyme patients end up with life time problems.
  
  
• Lyme disease was first discovered in the early 1980's.
  
  
• 55% of tests provide a false negative result.

The lack of accurate testing is a tremendous problem for Lyme Disease sufferers. Chronic Lyme patients are often dismissed by medical practitioners. The CDC made a controversial decision to say people with Lyme only need three weeks of antibiotic treatment, which has left Lyme sufferers at odds with their insurance companies.

"The blood tests are about as accurate as a coin flip. If the public is aware of the early symptoms and doctors are more aware, Lyme when caught early can be treatable. I never had the 'bulls-eye rash' and I never found a tick on my body."

As McGee explains, "I hate the term chronic Lyme. You'd think Lyme was a disruptive internet startup the way the disease is growing year after year." In fact, researchers are now speculating climate change is the reason behind the disease's rapid growth, because ticks thrive in warmer weather.

Says McGee, "I thought of this idea in bed and I'm hoping with the awareness and money raised from the #nap4lyme campaign we can put this disease to bed. Plus, who doesn't need a nap?"

For more information on www.nap4lyme.org, the social media challenge, or to interview Irene McGee please call 877.841.7244 or email [email protected].

About Nap4Lyme

Nap4Lyme was founded by Irene McGee. She is joined by Medical Director Dr. Elena Frid Board Certified Neurologist.  Nap4Lyme is a charitable organization dedicated to raising awareness and education about the growing epidemic of Lyme Disease and to find a cure. All donations made are tax-deductible.

Media Contact: Monique Tatum
BPM-PR Firm
1(877) 841-7244
[email protected]

SOURCE Nap4Lyme.org