IV Treatments for Aurora

Our friend Aurora has struggled for ten years with Neurologic Lyme Disease, also known as Lyme neuroborreliosis, which occurs when the Lyme- or TBRF-causing bacteria invade the central nervous system and other organs. There are also three co-infections she's been fighting.

Our goal in doing this fundraiser is to help her dad Doron pay for IV treatments, medical care, and supplements she needs to rebuild her body and, hopefully, allow her to work again and live independently.

At age 9, Aurora was bitten by a tick and then had two concussive brain injuries in her early twenties (horseback riding and a car accident), which pierced the blood-brain barrier and massively exacerbated and increased symptoms. She was in and out of hospitals for many years, trying to find out what was causing her body to fail.

She has now been in treatment for three years fighting the infections that penetrate many areas of the body. As a result, she frequently experiences many debilitating symptoms such as total body pain, debilitating migraines, fevers, brain fog, severe depression, dysregulated nervous system, and sensitivity to light and sound. These symptoms and the constant fight to kill off the infections and repair her body make it nearly impossible for her to work a regular 9-5 job or continue her previously successful film and academic career, making it hard to live independently.

Lyme disease is a threat to Aurora’s life. For many years she has struggled with it quietly without asking for help from most of her friends. The disease affects many different parts of the body and also one’s mental health. Many people living with Lyme disease end up in deep despair from neurological inflammation and commit suicide.

Aurora has recently started an innovative IV treatment that will allow her to recover.

The treatment should hopefully help her body heal damaged cells from the infections, kill the remaining infections, and nourish her cells with the nutrients they lost.

We are looking to raise $15000 to cover, among other things:

What is Neurological Lyme Disease?

Some describe neurological Lyme disease as a Lyme infection of the brain. Research has found that up 15-40% of late-stage Lyme patients develop neurological disorders. It is caused specifically by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii. The disease is typically transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.

Typical Symptoms

Peripheral nerve involvement:

When the peripheral nerves are affected, patients can develop radiculoneuropathy which can cause numbness, tingling, “shooting” pain, or weakness in the arms or legs.

Central nervous system involvement:

When the central nervous system is affected, Lyme meningitis can cause fever, headache, sensitivity to light, and stiff neck as well as fatigue and a skin rash.

Cranial nerve involvement:

When the cranial nerves are affected, facial palsy (droop) can occur on one or both sides of the face.

Aurora's Unique Background and Family History

Aurora grew up in Northern California to an Israeli father who served as an officer in the Israeli navy. Her grandfather was a Lt. Colonel in the IDF and UN diplomat. The family later moved to a farm in Northern California where Aurora is currently staying.

Aurora is an incredible screen and theater director and actor, and has been featured in a number of films including EXPO, A.I Tales, TWO, The Deep End, Phoenix Nine, and Alien Origin.

She is also a research scholar at the Ronin Institute, focusing on the creation capacity of sustainable and resilient communities. She has worked for over a decade as a cultural liaison to intertribal peace mediations and negotiations. She has a masters in Environmental Management from Western Colorado University and did post-graduate studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She spent many years as an educator at Safari West, Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue Center and California Academy of Sciences.