Ossining's PANS Disease Awareness Campaign

Thanks to Lisa Kilion for the following:

PANS, or Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, is a childhood autoimmune disease that can be induced by different illnesses: strep throat (PANDAS,) mycoplasma, pneumonia, flu, (PITANDS) and/or Lyme Disease. Members of the Ossining and Briarcliff communities are taking measures to bring awareness to these diseases, for which there are no cures yet.

In August, Ossining residents Offir and Lisa Kilion will do a bicycle ride in Long Island in honor of their son who is suffering from PANS. They will wear t-shirts designed by Ossining’s own NY Photocraft that read “Help Destroy Bad PANDAS.” These shirts are being sold through Lisa’s website, www.PANSlife.com to promote awareness of the disease, with profits donated to research.

In September, Soulauras (www.soulauras.com) in Briarcliff Manor, will offer a special promotion on massage therapy services with the goal of promoting awareness of PANS and raising money for research. Laura Giacovas will be donating time and profits to the organizations listed below.

PANS baffles many doctors because the diseases come with so many varied symptoms. Many children are misdiagnosed at first. The diseases can also result in sudden learning challenges for the child, which is difficult for educators. When a child has PANS, (once referred to as PANDAS,) rogue cells that should be fighting a childhood disease (i.e. strep, flu, walking pneumonia) break through the blood brain barrier of the child and attack the brain. With the basal ganglia under siege, the child can experience tics, OCD, rage, depression, separation anxiety, fatigue, and more. At this moment, while some children have recovered, there is no cure for PANS.

Further donations can be made to: http://www.pansawareness.org/Research_Support.htmland http://lymedisease.org/research/calda_research.html .

For more information, please contact Lisa Kilion (www.PANSlife.com or 914-522-6039,) Laura Giacovas at Soulauras (www.soulauras.com, 914-941-2400, office or 914-424-5795mobile,) or see http://www.pandasresourcenetwork.org/.