Kathleen Foerster, PhD

Kathleen’s journey with persistent Lyme disease began in the late 1990s with serious multi-system symptoms, a bull’s eye (EM) rash, white matter lesions on MRI, and a (mis)diagnosis of MS. A passionate high school biology teacher with three young children, she successfully pursued appropriate diagnosis and treatment with a remarkable response.

Determined to help others, she pursued a MEnv, conducting research and publishing Knowledge and Perception of Lyme disease in Manitoba (available at: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/29807). Her research was featured in the 2013 Nature of Things, TICKED OFF: The Mystery of Lyme Disease. 

Kathleen became a Lyme advocate, lobbying the Manitoba government and influencing policy; educating numerous groups including MS/Lupus Societies, school, nature, and community groups; and sharing countless conversations with fellow sufferers to educate and support. With an interest in the duty and standard of patient care she attended law school in the UK, then completed a PhD in Science and Education at the UM. She has been a University of Manitoba sessional instructor and practicum advisor of science teacher candidates, and maintains an active lifestyle, blessed with the medical support of MB TiCCS.

Kathleen earned many undergraduate and graduate academic awards including gold medals in her BSc and BEd, and was honoured to receive the 2019 Manitoba Science Teacher of the Year Award.