Lyme disease sufferer: 'I shouldn't have to beg for money to be treated'

A 26-year-old secondary school teacher from Co Kerry is the latest to have to turn to GoFundMe to raise cash to treat her chronic Lyme disease.

Karin O’Shea, 26, from Kilgarvan, has had to quit her job, is practically bed-ridden and admits the disease — which is caused by bacteria spread through infected tick bites — is doing “everything but killing her".

Chronic Lyme disease sufferers have paid up to €63 million in the last 12 years to be treated abroad.

Almost all were forced to take out hefty loans or to raise tens of thousands of euro through charity fundraisers to pay for treatment in countries such as Poland, the US and Germany.