"Lyme Disease – a disease many people still don’t fully understand or see as a threat. My name is Sophie Ward & I am 25 years old from England. My life has been turned upside down, from an elite swimmer with dreams of competing at the Olympics to battling with my body every day. Barely able to function & feeling pain that I can’t even begin to explain. We mourn the loss of ourselves, our dreams & our health. Our symptoms are longer than a shopping list & are extremely debilitating. My organs struggle to function every day & I am faced with the realities of expensive private treatments to receive care. We face ignorance & dismissal by the medical communities & left with high medical bills. You feel isolated from the world & trapped in a torture chamber you can’t break free from. There isn’t a rest-bite or holiday pass. It is never ending torture. I campaign long and hard & have appeared on the BBC & Sky news raising awareness. I am an admin member of Lyme Disease UK. I wear my A.W.A.R.E necklace in hope I can continue my mission to protect & save lives from this disease & my passion to help & soothe hearts along the way. Helping people share their stories on my podcast: Chronic But Iconic & sharing my own story through my Instagram: @sophiewardy & blog: Sophantastic. Helping, protecting & empowering people makes my pain, my struggle all worthwhile. Please come and follow my journey & help spread awareness." @sophiewardy