Joanna’s Lifeline for Lyme

The bite that turned deadly

Update June 30, 2016

A Zumba Beach Party took place on June 19th in Niagara on the Lake. There were amazing prizes from local businesses and everyone had a wonderful time. The event was a great success and final count we raised $1,063.00 for Joanna’s treatment. Thank you to all who braved the heat and came out and to the amazing instructors. We continue to receive donations on this site and we are confident we will reach our goal to get Joanna all the treatment she needs to recover from this disease.

Update May 10, 2016,

Thank you to Brotherhood Pontion Toronto! Together with the Greek Community they raised enough to cover over 4 months of treatment for Joanna. She is extremely grateful. The next fundraiser will take place in Niagara this summer. Please contact Antonia for details at amantonakis@brocku.ca.

Update Jan 20, 2016

Thank you to all the donors! Your support has helped Joanna to continue to receive treatment. Recently Joanna has started a new protocol under the guidance of Dr. McShane (featured here, by David Suzuki), in upstate NY. Dr McShane is a world renown expert on Lyme disease having had the disease herself, and Joanna is optimistic about her new regimen. She is still in need of help for the costs of travel and treatment so please keep sharing her story so we can reach our goal and Joanna can get all the help she needs to recover from this disease.

Oct 20, 2015

Joanna’s story was featured in a popular online magazine. Thank you Travel Mammal for helping to spread the word about Lyme Disease! The story can be found here.

Sept 2, 2015

On November 14th 2014, Joanna was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, after 6 months of unexplained symptoms and misdiagnoses by countless doctors she is now considered in the chronic or late-stage of the disease and requires long term treatment. Unfortunately, there are no chronic Lyme experts in Canada and so Joanna is currently undergoing treatment with a doctor in the U.S. who specializes in this type of Lyme Disease and this is not covered by Canadian health insurance.

Her treatment includes antibiotics, prescribed supplements, monthly injections, physical therapy for pain management and regular lab work in the U.S. and the medical costs are truly crippling. A Trust Fund has been established to assist Joanna with the costs she will incur during her treatment and recovery. Donations can be made at any Scotiabank branch or via PayPal.

(Don’t have a PayPal account? That’s O.K,  just Choose the option to use your Credit Card through the same Paypal site).

Donate at any Scotiabank branch using the following information:

‘Joanna Petrakis Trust’

Transit No. 21402

Account No. 214020361186