Help Aaron Fight Lyme Disease

My name is Jane and I am fundraising to help my friend Aaron with some of the costs he is incurring to help fight Lyme Disease. To date, his treatment has amounted to £22,000. Whilst he has been lucky enough to have received help from both his employer and his parents, it has reached the point where he requires other avenues of financial support. With your help I hope to raise £12,050  in order to relieve Aaron of some of the financial strains he will continue to endure as he undergoes further treatment. Please read on to hear a little more about Aaron’s story. If you are able, any donation would be greatly appreciated.

 

Aaron contracted Lyme Disease almost 3 years ago after being bitten by a tick, and since then has been living with it’s debilitating effects. What began as involuntary twitching in his legs, arms, fingers and eyelids, soon led to severe muscle fatigue, headaches, general fatigue and disorientation. Everyday activities like walking up a small flight of stairs or washing his hair became very difficult due to the weakness in his arms and legs. In November 2019, his symptoms worsened and he began to experience neurological and cognitive issues. These symptoms included blurred vision, an inability to focus, and brain fog. At this point it was difficult for Aaron to hold a simple conversation, to read, use a computer or process any information. Even getting across the road safely became a struggle.

 

Initially doctors were puzzled and Aaron was referred to a neurologist with suspected Multiple Sclerosis and added to a 7 month waiting list. He was completely unable to work, and was facing months waiting for an appointment to receive any further medical insight. After conducting some independent research about the nature of his condition, Aaron attended a medical conference on Lyme Disease on Harley street; here he learned that he wouldn't be able to access treatment for Lyme on the NHS, as they currently do not provide a treatment plan for chronic Lyme Disease, once it has progressed past the initial stage. After speaking to a specialist doctor at the conference, Aaron had a private blood test for Lyme and other tick-borne infections. This came back positive, and he was officially diagnosed with Lyme by The Lyme Disease Clinic, London in December 2019. This was a massive relief at the time as he had been ill for 4 months, with no diagnosis or certainty about what was causing it.

 

At this point Aaron was prescribed an intensive course of multiple antibiotics and pharmaceuticals. This treatment seemed to be very effective for a time, and over the following 15 months his symptoms slowly improved, but in March 2021 he suffered a major relapse. Since then, Aaron has been prescribed various medications in a bid to improve his symptoms, however his doctor has concluded his current antibiotics are no longer effective, so for that reason, and due to their negative side effects, his doctor has advised him to stop taking them. Aaron is still experiencing blurred vision, fatigue, muscle twitches and brain fog. Today his symptoms fluctuate, and on his bad days his initial debilitating symptoms return, seriously affecting his day to day life. At times he is completely unable to work, drive, get out of bed or interact with people at all. However, about 7 months ago Aaron discovered an alternative treatment that is working really well for him, and he is making steady gains, but needs to raise funds to be able to take this treatment more consistently and in the longer term.

 

To date, the cost of Aaron’s treatment has been £22,000. This includes the cost of seeking private treatment with a Lyme Disease specialist doctor, as well as the pharmaceuticals he has been prescribed over the past 2 years. I hope that by raising £12,050, we can help Aaron continue his treatment, and ultimately to recover from this devastating illness. As well as being a huge physical struggle over the last few years, the disease has led to great emotional and financial strain. Reaching this target would provide some much needed relief and enable Aaron to take the next steps in his ongoing fight against Lyme Disease.

 

Thank-you.