How to help a friend with Lyme Disease

It can be incredibly difficult for friends and family to watch their loved one suffer from Lyme-like symptoms without a way to help their health improve. There are many ways to support your friend or family member, even if you are unable to financially support them as they struggle to cover their medical costs. 

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease is an infection that is not currently recognised by the Australian Medical Association. The disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia, which is contracted when someone is bitten by a tick. In addition to Lyme Disease, these ticks can also transmit other illnesses or diseases while biting into a person. 

The lack of recognition by the AMA means that Australians suffering from the disease do not receive government assistance with their treatments, and cannot be treated in Australia. It is for this reason that many Australians and their families are now turning to crowdfunding, as a way to cover their travel costs for the overseas treatment of Lyme Disease.

How you can help people with Lyme Disease

The Lyme Disease Association of Australia encourages sufferers or their loved ones to create their own events and continue to raise funds and awareness. This can be done through donations, volunteer work and running your own Lyme Disease themed event through mycause.

Fundraising for the Lyme Disease Association of Australia

When Luke and the team at Southern FM heard about Amy O’Sullivan’s journey with Lyme Disease, they were inspired to help raise funds for the LDAA. Southern FM hosted a 100km fun-run, which included a special broadcast and a host of celebrities joining in on the fun. The station was able to beat their crowdfunding target of $10,000 to raise over $12,000 for the charity.

You could host a lime green themed party, a morning tea, launch your own walk-a-thon for the LDAA, or raise awareness through sharing your own Lyme Disease journey online. 

Raising funds for your own Lyme Disease journey

Gold Coast woman Rachel launched her own mycause campaign with a video, talking about the daily struggles of a life with Lyme Disease. Left with no other choice, Rachel was desperate to raise funds for her overseas travel to finally get treatment for her chronic, debilitating disease.

“In June 2016 I was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a debilitating condition that has limited my everyday life for the past 6 years, with exacerbating and confronting body spasms that can take over at any time, anywhere without warning.”

“This disease not only causes these traumatic spasms, but cripples my body with chronic pain day in and day out.”

“After trialing the limited treatment options available in Australia, I've exhausted local processes. I'm now in need of extensive medical treatment in Germany, a country where many [Lyme Disease] patients seek treatment as a last resort.”

To date, Rachel has raised over $16,000 for her potentially life-changing overseas treatment for Lyme Disease with her mycause campaign. 

If you or someone you know is affected by Lyme Disease, then you can create a mycause campaign to fundraise for Lyme Disease treatment and recovery.

mycause also offers campaign creators the option to fundraise for the LDAA while also raising funds for an individual with Lyme Disease.