News for you, friend.

Important Dates & Opportunities for Action

TL;DR - Short on time? Here's what you can do today:

• July 16th - Read our new partnership announcement! 
• July 21-25 - Sign up to participate in Pediatric Long Covid Awareness Week with Long Covid Families!
  
  • Tuesday, July 22nd - Inside Out: Mental Health and Long Covid - Long Covid Families Webinar featuring BIC Principal Investigator Dr. Megan Fitzgerald; Register here!
• August 7th - Register for "An Approach to Improving Brain Blood Flow and Oxygen Levels" - A free webinar! 

Breakthrough Bulletin!

We're excited to share a new collaboration! We're teaming up with Long Covid Families to accelerate advancements in pediatric Long Covid research, advocate for change, and expand educational resources available to support patients and families.

Learn more about this exciting partnership here!

Next week is Pediatric Long Covid Awareness Week!

We're excited to share some amazing opportunities to learn, advocate, and support families impacted by Long Covid. 

They also advocate for the rights and protections of children experiencing these conditions and their caregivers. Next week, Long Covid Families is offering a series of opportunities to get involved, support, learn more about Long Covid and its impact on children and their families. Click here to check out the week's activities. 

July 22nd, 2025 at 12pm EST- Long Covid Families is offering a free educational webinar called "Inside Out: Mental Health and Long Covid," exploring how Long Covid affects children’s mental health and why symptoms must be understood in the context of chronic illness. Featuring:

• Richard Gallagher, PhD, RECOVER Clinical Science Core, mental health lead, and child psychiatrist at NYU Langone;
• Megan Fitzgerald, PhD, RECOVER patient representative and Principal Investigator at the Brain Inflammation Collaborative, and researcher with the Patient-Led Research Collaborative; and 
• Alexandra Yonts, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist and director of the Post-COVID Program at Children’s National. 

Register here!

Why did you start Long Covid Families (LCF)?

I started Long Covid Families because few were speaking up for the children. In the early days of the pandemic, kids were developing new and often disabling symptoms after COVID infections. Some symptoms came on gradually. Others appeared overnight. But families had nowhere to turn. The medical system was unprepared, pediatric research was almost non-existent, and the public narrative ignored them. Parents were desperate for answers, and children were suffering in silence.

I knew that story too well. I developed infection associated conditions at age 11 and was eventually diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and ME. When the pandemic began, I was deeply concerned that what happened to me would happen to countless other children. Long Covid Families was created out of that urgency to fight for recognition, care, and community for kids with Long COVID and the families who support them.

How many families do you serve?

We serve a community of about 15,000 families through online support, toolkits, webinars, direct advocacy, and educational materials. Many parents come to us after months or years without answers. For them, just hearing "you are not alone" changes everything. We will also be relaunching an online community soon to give families a dedicated space to connect, share resources, and support one another.

What are some shocking stats surrounding kids and Long COVID?

The numbers are staggering and still not widely known. Nearly 6 million children in the United States have had Long COVID. Up to one in five kids who get COVID go on to develop Long COVID symptoms. Even babies can develop Long COVID. And yet, most children receive no symptom management, because the medications used in adults are often not approved for kids. The lack of pediatric research, provider training, and clinical guidance is a public health crisis for children.

How do you see LCF and BIC working together?

Long Covid Families is committed to accelerating pediatric research by advocating for investment and translating findings into clear, accessible information for families. BIC’s mission to fuel scientific advancement and hope through research, awareness, advocacy, and partnership closely aligns with ours.

Together, we can raise visibility for children affected by brain inflammation, push for urgently needed research, and equip families and clinicians with the knowledge they need to take action. This partnership brings together the power of science and the voice of lived experience to drive real change.

Learn more about Long Covid Families and their critical work, visit LongCovidFamilies.org.

Shannon Boxx, World Cup Champion, Speaking Out About Sjogren's

This presentation is on the Hi-OxSR sequential rebreather and its use as a novel treatment for long COVID associated cognitive dysfunction. The presentation will discuss the mechanism from COVID that may be responsible for the cognitive dysfunction, the prevalence and significance of the dysfunction, and then how the Hi-OxSR may be able to reduce the dysfunction.

Register today for this free opportunity!

Help us keep these resources free by purchasing a fully tax deductible supporting, sustaining, or pioneering seat. 

Lyme Disease & Chronic Infections with Dr. Teri Sanor

Did you know that the gap in medical education and action from health agencies is partly driving the high misdiagnosis rates in neuroinflammatory related diseases, like Lyme and other chronic infections?

Despite the profound impact of these infections, most medical professionals are not trained to recognize their role in neurological and psychiatric disorders. 

“Northeast Ohio Medical University does not teach that Lyme [or] Strep Group A are causes of chronic brain disorders,” Dr. Sanor explains about her experience in attending that University. “Neither do most medical schools.” Read more about Dr. Sanor's personal and professional experiences with Lyme.