The New York State Senate

J2633

Senate Resolution No. 2633

BY: Senator SERINO

COMMENDING Delaney Dixon for her innovative
approach to addressing the Lyme and tick-borne
disease crisis

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend individuals in New York State for remarkable acts and
achievements; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend Delaney Dixon for her efforts in the development of a prototype,
dubbed the "Tick Stik," to help individuals check for, and remove,
ticks; and

WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates
that approximately 476,000 patients are diagnosed with and treated for
Lyme disease in the United States each year; and

WHEREAS, New York State is at the epicenter of the Lyme and
tick-borne disease epidemic, and ranks second in the nation for
confirmed cases of Lyme disease, according to the most recent statistics
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

WHEREAS, Historically, cases of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases
in New York have been largely concentrated in the Hudson Valley and Long
Island, these illnesses have been rapidly spreading across the state;
and

WHEREAS, Lyme and other tick-borne diseases can be difficult to
diagnose because many of the most common symptoms are similar to those
of other illnesses, including COVID-19, which can often lead to a
misdiagnosis; and

WHEREAS, As more and more New Yorkers are spending time outdoors and
potentially facing increased risks of exposure to ticks, the need to
take proactive steps to prevent contracting Lyme and other tick-borne
diseases is all the more critical, especially for those who may be
unfamiliar with the threat posed by ticks; and

WHEREAS, Delaney Dixon previously contracted Lyme disease from an
undetected tick bite, which caused fever, rashes, and pains throughout
her body, and although a two-week course of an antibiotic treated her
Lyme disease, the ordeal left her with strong feelings of anxiety over
concerns of once again being bitten by a tick; and

WHEREAS, Delaney, who is currently a sixth-grade student at Windsor
Central Middle School, wanted to help others protect themselves from
ticks by creating a more convenient and comfortable way to check for
ticks; and

WHEREAS, With the help of her father, Chris Dixon, and later,
mechanical engineering students at Binghamton University, she developed

a bendable tool that utilizes an HD camera and a built-in tool to remove
ticks; and

WHEREAS, Delaney has shown a remarkable sense of design and
engineering, especially for someone her age, and has utilized her
talents in a way that can potentially help countless others from
suffering the same experience with Lyme and other tick-borne diseases as
she faced; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Delaney Dixon for her innovative approach to addressing the Lyme
and tick-borne disease crisis; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Delaney Dixon.