Advocates Take to the Air to Raise Awareness About Congenital Lyme Disease

A DC-based non-profit advertising agency collaborated with Mothers Against Lyme and Project Lyme on a strategic television advertising campaign to raise awareness about the risks and impact of congenital Lyme disease on mothers, children, and families. The cost-effective, geo-targeted campaign successfully reached more than 156,000 viewers across the Washington, DC metropolitan area during the first two weeks of May.

The campaign was organized by Bruce Fries of the Patient Centered Care Advocacy Group, which provides pro bono advertising services and pass-through pricing to nonprofits. Project Lyme sponsored the campaign, while the advertisements were produced by Isabel Rose of Mothers Against Lyme. The timing strategically coincided with National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, Mother’s Day, and National Women’s Health Week.

Strategic Media Placement Reaches Policy Influencers
The campaign utilized a sophisticated approach, geo-targeting cable TV subscribers in Washington, DC through traditional linear television while also leveraging major streaming and video-on-demand services. Streaming advertisements were further targeted to reach policymakers and healthcare professionals.

The campaign featured three distinct 60-second advertisements titled “Not Just Ticks,” “Symptoms,” and “No Guidance,” each highlighting different aspects of congenital Lyme disease. To maximize frequency during premium content, 30-second versions were created for prime-time news programming.

The ads can be viewed on YouTube via the links below.

Not Just Ticks
Symptoms
No Guidance

Campaign Delivers Impressive Reach and Engagement
The television campaign generated significant viewership across multiple platforms from April 28 through May 12, 2025. Linear and cable TV placements of 30-second spots reached 142,408 viewers across 564 total spots, averaging 40 spots per day.

News networks dominated the placement strategy with 415 spots across major networks including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox Business, Headline News, and Newsmax during top news shows, including The Lead with Jake Tapper, Inside Politics with Dana Bash, The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Fox & Friends, Hannity, Deadline: White House, The Briefing with Jen Psaki, and more. Sports programming contributed an additional 130 spots across ESPN, Golf Channel, MASN, and Monument Sports Network.

The streaming and video-on-demand component reached 13,980 viewers through 60-second spots specifically targeting news enthusiasts. This digital component achieved balanced reach across devices, with 34% of views on personal computers, 33% on mobile devices, 21% on internet-connected TVs, and 12% through set-top boxes.

Congressional Outreach Complements Media Campaign
Concurrent with the television advertising campaign, advocates conducted virtual meetings with congressional health policy staff to provide targeted briefings on gender disparities, maternal risks, and congenital transmission of Lyme disease. These sessions included constituents and subject matter experts who presented on the impact of congenital Lyme disease on mothers, children and families; the current state of science on persistent/chronic Lyme disease; and gender disparities in diagnosis, treatment and access to care.

“In addition to raising awareness and educating staffers, these meetings served as a forum for discussion on how constituents and stakeholder organizations can work with members of Congress and congressional committees to keep the members and committees informed of the latest science and explore ways to work together to raise awareness and advance research,” said Fries.

Urgent Need for Research and Healthcare Provider Education
According to Isabel Rose, co-founder of Mothers Against Lyme, the campaign highlights the need for research and healthcare provider education. “Healthcare provider education and research to improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of congenital Lyme disease is urgently needed.” She said, “Too many mothers, children and families are suffering. We must do more to protect them from this preventable harm.”

Rose cites the November 2018 article A Systematic Review on the Impact of Gestational Lyme Disease in Humans on the Fetus and Newborn as an example of why research is needed. In its meta-analysis, adverse outcomes were noted for 11% of pregnant women treated with antibiotics and 50% of untreated women.

“Treated or untreated, the incidence of adverse outcomes is a concern,” says Rose. “A treatment failure rate of 11% means that 1 out of 9 babies suffers from adverse outcomes, including congenital abnormalities, developmental disorders and other health issues.”

“This campaign is part of a broader commitment to sustained advocacy,” Fries said. “Together, we aim to increase awareness and education, while supporting research and initiatives to improve diagnosis, treatment, and access to care for affected mothers and children.”

About the Organizations
Mothers Against Lyme is a group of mothers and mother-advocates concerned about the impact of Lyme disease and its co-infections on pregnant women, children and families. Their focus includes awareness, education, advocacy and community building, as they promote research that advances diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Project Lyme’s mission is to eradicate the epidemic of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses by spreading awareness, providing educational resources, funding peer-reviewed research, and supporting advocacy for solutions to end the suffering. Since 2016, Project Lyme has challenged misinformation about diagnosis and treatment, advocated for patients’ rights, and built a community for Lyme patients as well as their loved ones.

Patient Centered Care Advocacy Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates for improved care and access to care for chronically ill patients who are underserved, marginalized and discriminated against by the medical establishment. It provides pro bono television advertising services to healthcare-focused nonprofit organizations.

Contact Information

Bruce Fries

President

Patient Centered Care Advocacy Group

Contact via E-mail