American Ninja Warrior Elet Hall and Jo Ellis of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation visited the California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE) in Malibu, where they helped educate attendees about the importance of tick checks and vigilance regarding Lyme disease symptoms.
The duo stressed that tick season occurs year-round in California due to its temperate climate and that Lyme disease-carrying Western blacklegged ticks have been found in 56 of California’s 58 counties.
After struggling with symptoms of undiagnosed Lyme disease himself, Hall became an ambassador for the Bay Area Lyme Foundation. He is also a parkour instructor and a four-time competitor on the TV show “American Ninja Warrior,” where he qualified for the finals twice. Ellis serves as the Bay Area Lyme Foundation director of education outreach.
“I love the outdoors and want children and adults to not only enjoy nature but also be aware of ticks and know the symptoms of Lyme disease,” Hall said in a statement. “Like many others who are ultimately diagnosed with Lyme, I never had a rash, so knowing the symptoms is key to prompt diagnosis and proper treatment.”