Marlene Ziehl Spies: Canadian Lyme Disease Activist
Each day of May for Lyme Awareness Month in 2015, whatislyme.com would like to recognize someone in the Lyme community that has done something to try to help the Lyme community. There are several “unsung heroes” in our community and we would like to just offer them a little recognition and make sure that their achievements and efforts don’t go unnoticed.
Today we would like to recognize Marlene Ziehl Spies!
Marlene has done a lot to promote Lyme awareness in Canada and was also involved in some of the global projects as well! She has blog that you can follow to find out what she has next in store.
Marlene’s Blog
Marlene was the Canadian Coordinator for the Worldwide Lyme Protest 2013
Niagara Falls Turning Green for Lyme Awareness and Brampton Towers Lighting up Green
See More Pictures and Read more about this Here.
LymeSavers 5km Walk
Whitby, Ontario (Heydenshore Kiwanis Park)
Whitby, Ontario
Meeting today Member of Parliament, Kyle Seeback
See details about this meeting on Marlene’s Blog Here
Marlene’s Story
I am a Lymie, infected, tested, and originally treated in Ontario, until my doctor had to drop his patients. I also have the co-infections called Babesia and Bartonella, and probably another one which hasn’t yet been diagnosed but which my current LLMD (Lyme literate doctor) thinks I might have.
My story starts 5 years ago. I was bitten in August 2007 while visiting friends near Picton, Ontario, but thought at the time that it was just a spider and popped some antihistamine. My health problems started after that, but it took three years, more than 2 dozen doctors and specialists, several (mis)diagnoses, heaps of medications, visits to ER and walk-in clinics before I happened to diagnose myself after talking to a friend with a Lyme daughter. I went into my old emails and found records of when and where the bite occurred and a steadily growing list of complaints since then. When transferred to a spreadsheet, it made for some strange bedtime reading.
Thank you Marlene for all you have done and continue to do to help spread Lyme Disease Awareness!
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