Another young woman dies in the midst of ongoing confusion around Lyme disease

Another tragic story is emerging in Canada highlighting the ongoing confusion in this country around the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. Stephanie Lavoie was only 30 years old when she chose to end her pain and devastating health issues by opting for medically assisted death.

Global news reports that Stephanie had a previous history of a tick bite, and received a diagnosis of Lyme disease in three countries, but not in Canada.¹ Her health declined over a number of years until she ended up confined to her bed, in severe pain and unable to eat. 

Her untimely death is a call to action to investigate the barriers she encountered, and that many others face, amidst confusion surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. We don’t know the details of Stephanie’s health challenges, but it’s clear that we need to address this problem now. We owe it to her and her family, and to others who are falling through the cracks in our healthcare system.

1. “Woman with ‘unmanageable’ pain from Lyme disease chooses to die. She wasn’t always believed” by Kalina Laframboise, Global News, retrieved June 7, 2024