Shannon’s Lyme Disease Treatment Fund

In April 2017, after a year of unexplained symptoms and countless visits to medical specialists, I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease. For those unfamiliar, Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness which causes fatigue, joint and muscle aches, and cognitive dysfunction. If symptoms persist following antibiotic treatment, the condition is said to have reached chronic stages.

To treat my symptoms, I’ve tried just about everything in the book—including multiple rounds of antibiotics. Although my efforts have so far been to no avail, there is one option left on the table: Dr. Wine’s Lyme disease protocol at Lyme Laser New England. Their specialists have spent two decades perfecting a valid solution to Lyme disease that eliminates the use of antibiotics and instead incorporates cold laser therapy. The hundreds of success stories from Lyme Laser New England have given me reason to hope.

I am resolved to undergo this treatment, despite its significant cost of $6,000. However, I can’t do it alone. I’ll be direct—because the treatment isn’t covered by my health insurance, I simply can’t afford to pay for it on my own. Despite the fact that I’ve been attempting to save up for the procedure for almost two years, I am no closer to reaching my goal now than I was when I first started.

This is why I’ve decided to ask for your help to raise the money for the cost of Dr. Wine’s treatment. Hopefully, with your help, I can finally cure my chronic Lyme disease.

Asking for help is hard. Aside from the fact that I’ve never felt comfortable asking others for assistance, Lyme disease has quite literally impaired my ability to do so. It’s not only affected my ability to write, but also my ability to read, to speak, to listen, to move, to think, to be happy... It’s hard to pinpoint an aspect of my life or an aspect of my body that Lyme disease has not yet affected.

Lyme is the reason why I might have to cancel plans; it’s the reason why I need 10-13 hours of sleep per night in order to feel even remotely functional during the day; it’s the reason why I’ve had to leave a job and an industry that I dearly love; and it’s the reason I’ve lived in chronic pain for the past three years.

Anything that you can contribute would mean the world to me. Even if you can’t afford to contribute yourself, I would be extremely grateful for you to share this with others. I’m optimistic that the support of my family, friends, and loved ones will make 2020 the year that I finally beat Lyme disease.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my story.