Salt Ash resident Jade Morgan heads to Malaysia this week to access treatment for Lyme disease.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Miss Morgan was barely in her 20s when she was struck down with lethargy, loss of feeling in her legs and short-term memory loss.
She was initially told it was “all in her head” since many doctors still don’t believe Lyme or Lyme-like diseases exist in Australia.
After $1000 worth of blood tests a specialist confirmed in April 2016 that she had the bacteria Borrelia in her system, which is associated with tick bites.
Borrelia is an accepted cause of Lyme disease in other countries, known to affect the organs and other body systems.
No longer able to work as a hairdresser, Miss Morgan has sought high doses of antibiotics in Sydney with minor relief.
In a February blog entry she made a long list of he symptoms. This included nerve pain, hot and cold feet, light sensitivity and chest pain to name a few, as well as being reliant on a wheelchair.
“I have been a bit quiet the past few days, Friday I ended up in hospital with severe pain and a kidney infection,” she wrote this past week.
“Before that I had appointments and was trying ready for Malaysia but I still have so much to do before Tuesday.”
Tilligerry Lions Club said one round of treatment alone would not be enough, announcing it would support her plight.
“Family, friends and some public support have raised sufficient funds to enable Jade avail of her first session of life-changing treatment overseas in March,” Lion project chairman John Sheppard said.
“This needs to be followed up with a second treatment in April.
“Tilligerry Lions Club are seeking the empathy and generosity of the Public to raise $10,000 for Jade’s vital second treatment with various fund-raisers through March and early April.”
Miss Morgan told the Examiner in September there were days she “couldn’t get out of bed”.
“The other thing that really upsets me is that I know there are heaps of other people out there suffering.”
Initially donations may be made at Tilligerry RSL, Club Lemontree, Tilligerry Quality Meats, Boshev’s Corner Store Salt Ash, Tanilba Bay Newsagency and most Tilligerry Retailers.
