Please help Karin get urgent treatment in Germany

Hello, my name is Karin, I am a 26 year old secondary school teacher from Kilgarvan, Co. Kerry.

I was diagnosed with Lyme disease in April 2021 and need funding to get treatment in Germany. This is the only option left to me.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection, transmitted from the bite of an infected tick. If not treated early, the infection can spread to your joints, heart, nervous system and brain.

The disease has had a devastating effect on me. I know that this will be a shock for some people to hear about how serious this situation has become. However, this is now my reality. This is a diagnosis that has deeply affected every single aspect of my life. My Lyme disease went undiagnosed for 12 years. I was given the label of Fibromyalgia and I managed these symptoms. Life was normal.

However, in October 2020, I experienced a severe deterioration in health. After exhausting every avenue with my GP and countless consultants, undergoing x-rays, scans, MRI’s, hospital admissions, I had no answers. I sent my bloods to Germany to test for Lyme disease. The results came back positive. They also showed chronic immune suppression.

I began attending Dr. Lambert (Infectious Disease Specialist in the Mater Hospital, Dublin). I was on a treatment plan of up to 5 antibiotics a day for several months. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful due to late diagnosis. This treatment also came with severe side effects. This is the only available treatment in Ireland.

It has done immense damage to my immune and nervous system. I have debilitating neurological symptoms which include excruciating nerve pain, migraines, head pressure, short term memory loss, episodes of body paralyses and tremors which include slurred speech, fainting, loss of balance, extreme exhaustion, insomnia and nausea. Being aware of your own body and brain depleting daily is utterly terrifying. it strips you of your dignity. Never-ending pain is grueling beyond comprehension. Every day tasks that would typically be easy to accomplish have suddenly become near impossible. I reunite with friends and family when I’m able. These days are vital for my own mental health however they set me back physically and I am left paying for this for several days after, confined to the four walls. I am now mostly housebound.

The only option left for me now is to travel to St. George’s Clinic in Germany for a month of intensive treatment, followed by a 6 month rehabilitation plan. The cost of the intensive treatment is upwards of €35,000 for a 4 week stay in the clinic. This does not include travel, post-treatment care, and further appointments. My private health insurance nor the cross border scheme can assist in any of the costs involved as Chronic Lyme disease is not recognised by the Irish State. I have spent upwards of €6,000 on medical treatments already and I had to give up my job in St. Brendan’s College Killarney indefinitely.

I have nowhere left to turn. This is why I am asking for your support to enable me to get my life back. I very much wish I could afford this treatment without burdening anyone else. Therefore, any donation big or small is hugely appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Karin O’ Shea.