In memoriam: Jim Wilson
Jim Wilson was the founder and past president of CanLyme and his work changed countless lives.
January 2, 1954 – June 28, 2024
We are heartbroken to announce the death of our founder, Jim Wilson, on June 28, 2024. He died surrounded by family after an extended illness.
CanLyme exists solely because of the vision, passion and tireless work of Jim over the past 20 years. As founder, Jim’s legacy is truly impressive. He single-handedly created a vibrant, active organization that is the first point of contact for many Canadians suffering from Lyme disease – providing information, education, research funding, and patient advocacy across the country.
It wasn’t easy. His involvement with the Lyme community began in 1991 when he became seriously ill with Lyme disease while living on the east coast of Canada. The condition went undiagnosed for several years while his symptoms worsened until he was eventually found to have Lyme disease.
Once diagnosed he struggled to receive proper and effective treatment. However, he doggedly pursued all avenues and was slowly able to regain his health.
Then, ten years later in 2001, Jim’s daughter contracted Lyme disease while living in British Columbia. Other children in the same community were also diagnosed with Lyme. With Jim’s experience he was able to help his daughter and her friends get treatment and ultimately to regain their health.
At this point, Jim saw a clear need to address the problem of Lyme on a national level and he founded the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation (CanLyme) in 2003, attracting prominent scientists and researchers to the Board.
He helped many people individually, personally answering phones and emails while at the same time pushing for change and helping educate Canadians on this complex disease.
Everything CanLyme has done since its founding – comprehensive website, research grants, public health advocacy, patient support, podcasts, events, clinician education and more – reflects Jim’s experience, empathy and intelligence.
Jim was truly one of a kind and we will forever be grateful to him for creating and growing CanLyme to where it is today. Jim – you were a joy to work with and you will never be forgotten.
Did you know Jim Wilson?
We are in communication with Jim Wilson’s family and we are collecting memories and photos to share. If you have a memory you want to share, we would love to hear from you. We’ve heard from many people that he made such a big impact in their lives. If you have photos or stories that you would like to share with us, please feel welcome to upload them here.
