V. Ross Johnson’s story started in 1992, when she was bitten by a tick. “There was no doubt about it: I had the bulls-eye rash,” the Morattico resident said. She was sick and after about six months, her immune system kicked in and she felt OK. But six years later, her immune system was weakened after a bout with pneumonia, and she spent eight years in a wheelchair, until hyperbaric oxygen therapy helped bring her to remission.

Johnson will share her story — and offer tips to prevent Lyme disease at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury’s next Mind & Muscle event Aug. 7. She’ll also have information for audience members to take with them.

Ticks are extremely common in Virginia, with more than a thousand cases of Lyme disease confirmed in the state in 2015. Early symptoms can include chills, fever, headache, stiff neck, sore throat, fatigue and joint pain and cramps. Left untreated, the disease can spread to the joints, the heart and the nervous system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leading to residual damage to tissues and the immune system.

Other lectures in the Mind & Muscle series are scheduled for Sept. 11 and Oct. 2 at 11 a.m. The talks are free and open to the community.

The program includes a complimentary luncheon at noon, following the lecture and a question-and-answer opportunity with the speaker. Reservations are required, as space is limited. Call 804-438-4000 no more than two weeks in advance of the program you would like to attend. RWC maintains a waiting list and will honor reservations in the order received. Reservations for this lecture open July 24.