Mohawk Valley Community College will host two events to help raise awareness and inform people about Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that manifests itself as a multisystem inflammatory disease that affects the skin in its early, localized stage, and spreads to the joints, nervous system, and, to a lesser extent, other organ systems in its later stages.

A panel discussion, “Updates and Breakthroughs,” will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, in Schafer Theater, Information Technology Building, at the College’s Utica Campus. Hear from both Lyme patients as well as scientists, including diagnostic scientist Joel Tabb, Ph.D., of Ionica Sciences and Lyme disease expert Dr. Ronald Stram, M.D., of Stram Center for Integrative Medicine, who are on the front lines of tick-borne disease research. Learn about Lyme disease, symptoms, and what is being done to tackle this growing epidemic. A question-and-answer session will follow. Admission is free.

MVCC will host the Walk for Lyme Disease at noon Sunday, May 19, on the green in the Quad at MVCC’s Utica Campus. This inaugural walk, organized by the Health Center at MVCC, will raise awareness and funds to help conquer Lyme disease with proceeds to benefit Global Lyme Alliance. To register, visit gla.org/uticawalk.

Tickets for all Cultural Series events can be purchased in person at the MVCC Box Office, Information Technology Building room 106, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday, and at the College Stores on the Utica and Rome Campuses; online any time at www.mvcc.edu/tickets; or over the phone by calling 315-731-5721. Most Cultural Series events are $5 or less to the general public and many are free. Events include concerts, comedians, lectures, film screenings and discussions, workshops, family fun events, and more. The Cultural Series is brought to you by MVCC’s Cultural Events Council, in collaboration with MVCC’s Program Board, with significant support from the Student Activity Fee. The series maintains a major social media presence that can be followed on Facebook at “MVCC Cultural Series.” For the complete series lineup and ticket sales, visit www.mvcc.edu/campus-events.