Lyme patient hopes to raise awareness through 'tickmojis' tracking app

It may seem a little odd to want emojis on your smartphone that depict 10 of the most common varieties of tick in North America.

Then again, if you spot one attached to your leg, it’s nice to know you can actually identify it by using Olivia Goodreau’s “tickmojis,” which are scientifically accurate and have been reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control.

Goodreau, 15, of Denver, Colo., contracted Lyme disease and six co-infections when she was bitten by a tick at age 6 while on vacation in Missouri.

Her ordeal led her to found the nonprofit LivLyme Foundation, which raises money to help offset the cost of Lyme treatment for those unable to afford it.

The CDC, in its most recent year for data collection, showed 7,920 confirmed cases of Lyme in Pennsylvania in 2018 — the highest in the nation and more than 2.5 times more than the next two states on the list, New Jersey (2,876) and New York (2,446). The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s numbers show more than 10,200 cases in 2018.

“Our LivLyme Tickmojis are a way to have fun and laugh while promoting awareness of a very serious threat,” Goodreau said.

Hear more of Goodreau’s story below.

Gala Video from Becky Holden on Vimeo.

The emojis are available for free at the Apple App Store and also by downloading TickTracker, a free mobile app Goodreau helped develop that allows users to log and track tick sightings on an interactive map.

The app has been endorsed by, among others, Dr. Monica Embers of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation as well as Dr. Jyotsna Shah, president at the IGeneX testing lab, who said early diagnosis can save both money and potential suffering.

“When a tick-borne illness is misdiagnosed, the disease-causing infection has more time to spread, which can lead to more severe or chronic health issues,” said Dr. Jyotsna Shah, president at IGeneX. “That can lead to months and even years of escalating costs for patients and their families due to ongoing doctor visits, diagnostic tests, ineffective medications, and other medical expenses.”

Goodreau also hosts an annual LivLyme Gala, which raised more than $1 million in 2019.

“My goal is to educate the public so no one else has to go through the nine-year journey I have been on with tick-borne illnesses,” Goodreau said. “Always check for ticks.”

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the U.S., according to the CDC.