Ending Suicide: Free Women from Inhumane Suffering

In a world defined by our actions, conditions like NeuroLyme disease, slow-growing brain cancer, and other debilitating chronic illnesses can feel like a fate worse than death.

"One-in-five patients with Post Treatment Lyme had suicidal ideation," stated Shreya Doshi, MA, in a peer-reviewed research manuscript.

"Hopelessness stemming from the lack of educated doctors, isolation, debilitating symptoms, and the depression linked to Lyme disease—combined with feelings of being a burden and witnessing friends succumb to their struggles—contributes to suicidal feelings in patients with Lyme and Associated Diseases," revealed a CNN report from the Survey of a Lyme Support Group.

In our experience, far too many women battling Neuro-Tickborne Disease choose death over enduring the immense suffering, leaving an irreplaceable void in the lives of their families and friends, tragically cutting lives and relationships short.

After founding the Oregon Lyme Disease Network in 2001, Theresa Ivanov faced the harrowing reality of nearly giving up. It broke her heart to see woman after woman take their own lives before she could provide the mental health support they desperately needed. Treatment can be prohibitively expensive, and Social Security Disability often fails to recognize Lyme disease as a legitimate disability. Emily's Place welcomed its first guest, Wren Sparrow, who had to be convinced not to end her life before arriving. Courtney, a determined advocate, wrote and performed the song "Lightning" (link coming), expressing her plea for God to "Take Me Now." Even our founder once thought her family would be better off without her.

But Regina is grateful for her perseverance and has since embraced a life filled with service, grief, joy, heartbreak, and everything else in between. Although she continues to grapple with one health issue, her life has become meaningful and fulfilling. She firmly believes that every life, including hers, holds immense value. In both sickness and health, we possess so much more to offer the world than just our bank account or productivity. The mission of Emily's Place is to empower women, even in their darkest moments, to realize this truth for themselves.