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Hot summers mean more outdoor activities – but sunburn is not the only risk.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread through the bites of small parasites called ticks.
Former champion swimmer Sophie Ward was left undiagnosed for over a decade.
Her symptoms meant she’s had to make significant changes to her lifestyle.
“One day you’re way up and the next minute you can’t get out of bed and you’re bedridden, and it makes it very very difficult to live. You can’t make plans – social events and activities have to be sort of scaled down for a couple of hours because they tire you out so quickly. At 24 you know you think, ‘I can travel the world’, or ‘I should be going out partying’, and you just can’t hack it,” Ward said.
Ticks swarm in rural forested areas throughout Ukraine. They’re most abundant and active from May through to August. Looking for those tiny ticks after a walk in the woods could make all the difference, to ensure you stay safe and have fun in the summer.
