Cindy Kennedy, FNP, is joined by Sue Faber, R.N., who discusses Lyme disease and pregnancy. After suffering from Lyme disease for more than 15 years, Faber co-founded of LymeHope in Ontario, Canada.

As a result of her diagnosis, she started conducting extensive research on Lyme disease and soon discovered pathology reports and case studies which had identified the potential for the Lyme bacteria to be passed transplacentally, from an untreated mother to her unborn child.

Faber is a married mother of three daughters. She is trained as a registered nurse (BScN) with a background in emergency room nursing as well as case management in the community. She is a co-founder of the nonprofit organization LymeHope along with colleague Jennifer Kravis.

Sue was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2016, after over 15 years of being symptomatic with over 20 “strange symptoms” that were progressively getting worse, including tachycardia, memory problems, choking, coughing, migratory pain and profound fatigue.

Faber’s story is echoed by so many fellow Canadians. The truly tragic thing is that as an RN, she never once considered Lyme as the culprit. After all, she never had the “mandatory tick bite” or “bullseye rash.”

As Faber read about common symptom clusters of congenitally infected babies, she started connecting the dots to each of her own daughters who had also struggled with health issues from birth. Subsequent testing revealed confirmation that all three had been exposed to Lyme disease, two of whom were symptomatic. Faber has heard from families all across North America and Europe who are concerned about congenital Lyme borreliosis and she believes this is an urgent area for meaningful research.

Faber recently co-authored a nursing resolution for the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario – based on the needs and voiced concerns of Canadians coast to coast. The resolution, Patient First Treatment for Ontarians with Lyme Disease, was passed at the annual general meeting in Toronto last spring.

Sue has been invited to speak at several public forums and events and has also compiled a list of direct quotes from the medical and scientific literature regarding gestational Lyme and congenital Lyme borreliosis – highlighting that this alternate mode of transmission has been proven and agreed upon by experts all over the world.

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