New Lyme Disease Awareness Initiative Coming to Illinois

by Jenny Lelwica Buttaccio | May 1, 2025 | Recreation

Two people walking on a path through a prairie. In the background are trees against a cloudy sky.

Photo courtesy of Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The Illinois Lyme Association, in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Department of Public Health, has completed phase two of a three-phase joint project aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of ticks and Lyme disease across the state.

A green, tan, and navy blue poster illustrating how to be tick aware with every step. — The park poster from the partnership initiative will be installed at select Illinois parks this summer.

As part of this initiative, educational trail signs and park posters will begin appearing in select Illinois parks sometime this summer to help outdoor enthusiasts stay informed and protected.

Additional project elements, including a dedicated website landing page, are currently in development. For more updates about this important public health effort, visit the project website here.

Jenny Lelwica Buttaccio, OTR/L, is a health journalist based in Indiana and a licensed occupational therapist. She lives with her husband and rescue dogs Emmi and Opal. When not writing, she can be found buried in a book, working out, or out in nature. Her work has been featured in HuffPo, Prevention, Men’s Health, Healthline and many other publications.