Steven Williams’ life changed abruptly in March 2021 after a tick bite left him battling Lyme disease. Once vibrant and active—exercising regularly, working as a civil servant, and playing in a rock band—Steven found himself debilitated by heart palpitations, extreme fatigue, anxiety, depression, and new food intolerances.
Known as the “steady one” among friends, Steven struggled with everyday tasks like taking out the bins or even washing himself. Despite seeking help from his GP and trials of various medications, it took seven months before he was diagnosed with Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by tick bites.
Steven argues that the NHS’s standard two-week doxycycline course was insufficient given the advanced stage of his illness. Since his diagnosis in October 2021, he has spent nearly £150,000 on private healthcare worldwide, even remortgaging his home to cover costs. Despite these efforts, improvements have been minor, leaving him with a restricted lifestyle—simple meals, limited activities, and ongoing health challenges.
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“I just want to regain some of my old quality of life,” Steven shares. “Small things like meeting friends for a meal, listening to music, or exercising seem so far away.”
Ticks capable of transmitting Lyme disease are found across the UK, particularly in grassy and wooded areas of southern England and the Scottish Highlands. Steven, living in South Wales, suspects he contracted the infection from extensive mountain walks with his dog, Jarvis. Though he never developed the “bullseye rash,” a classic Lyme disease sign, this rash appears in only a minority of cases.
After his diagnosis, Steven sought alternative therapies, traveling to Germany for intravenous antibiotics and whole-body hyperthermia. While this eliminated the Borrelia bacteria, it failed to affect the Babesia parasite causing flu-like symptoms. A subsequent bout of Covid-19 further weakened his immune system, leading to long Covid with fatigue and blood issues.
Determined to find relief, Steven pursued treatments in Mexico, New York, and India—including stem cell therapy and Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy. While some treatments eased his symptoms, he continues to battle sleep problems and maintain a rigid lifestyle.
With medical bills nearing £150,000—£35,000 just for German treatment and £20,000 for IVIg therapy in India—Steven remortgaged his house and has ongoing financial strain. His friend Alecs Donovan created a GoFundMe to support his next treatment in Germany aimed at thinning his blood and alleviating long Covid effects.
“Alecs has been incredible,” Steven says. “I’m so grateful for everyone who has donated. I just hope to get my normal life back.”
A spokesperson from Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board encouraged Steven to contact their concerns team for further support. The NHS emphasizes the importance of being “tick-aware” and promptly removing ticks to reduce the risk of Lyme disease.