Mason Bauer Champions Lyme Disease Advocacy

Bishop Lynch High School senior Mason Bauer is using his voice to advocate for growing federal funding for Lyme and other vector-borne diseases.

A second-year national youth advocate with the Center for Lyme Action, Mason joins more than 500 advocates across the country working to increase federal funding for Lyme disease research. This year, he collaborated with 40 fellow advocates from Texas to learn how to lobby federal leaders and support legislation aimed at improving research, treatment, and resources for patients. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 476,000 cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed and treated annually in the United States.

As a congenital Lyme disease patient himself, Mason says his advocacy is rooted in a personal understanding of the many challenges that patients face.

“I’m dedicated to Lyme disease research advocacy because I know how isolating it feels to be sick and not have answers,” Mason shared. “No one should have to feel unheard or forgotten while they’re fighting a disease like this. If sharing my experience helps even one person feel less alone and pushes us closer to better understanding and treatment, then it’s worth it.”

Advocacy is also a family effort. Mason’s mother Kristina Bauer, who contracted Lyme disease in 1980, is a longtime leader in Lyme disease education and policy efforts. She serves as the Texas State Lead for the Center for Lyme Action and as an ambassador for the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society. She also directs the Texas Lyme Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to improving care for congenital and pediatric Lyme patients.

Through his advocacy, Mason is putting his faith and compassion into action and using his platform to work for justice in the world.