By Terri McCormick

When my children were at their sickest with Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, I was pushed into a level of caregiving I never expected. It felt as if we had been swept into a storm without warning, the sky suddenly dark and the path forward impossible to see.

I searched constantly for direction, for steady ground, for someone who could help us navigate the uncertainty. Instead, we were often left to make critical decisions alone. What I needed most was clarity—a compass to help chart a path forward.

It was perhaps no surprise, then, that I felt an immediate connection when I met siblings Carter and Payton Bradsky in Washington, DC, last May, while advocating on Capitol Hill with the Center for Lyme Action.

Between meetings, they shared that they were building a digital health platform designed specifically for people living with complex tick-borne illness. Their vision resonated with me instantly. They understood this journey because they had lived it.

When lived experience shapes innovation

Years earlier, the Bradskys had watched their once-vibrant mother decline from an illness no one could explain. This woman who had once filled their home with energy and warmth became increasingly exhausted, and even simple daily activities grew more difficult. She was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease, but only after the family endured a long search for answers.

Her diagnosis also brought a deeper awareness within the family about the many ways tick-borne illness can present. Yet the family’s journey with illness was far from over.

Carter developed neurological and psychological symptoms, including brain fog, anxiety, and dissociation, that disrupted both his academic focus and athletic pursuits. Ultimately, his illness derailed what might have been a promising Division I basketball career. He was later diagnosed with Lyme disease and multiple co-infections.

Payton’s path to diagnosis was different. During her senior year of college, she developed severe headaches and fatigue, which she attributed to academic stress. The seriousness of her condition became clear only after she suffered a seizure and awoke with no memory of the event. She was diagnosed with epilepsy and began anti-seizure medication.

When a second seizure occurred despite treatment, the family’s expanding awareness of Lyme disease prompted deeper investigation. Payton was ultimately diagnosed with Lyme disease along with multiple tick-borne co-infections.

Over time, the family had collectively consulted more than 40 physicians and spent over $300,000 seeking answers and treatment.

Although their symptoms varied, their experiences revealed the same truth: tick-borne illness rarely follows a predictable course. The knowledge their family gained through their mother’s persistent search for answers helped shorten their own paths to diagnosis and deepened their understanding of this complex disease.

From personal crisis to purpose

As they researched tick-borne illness, the Bradskys discovered an expansive Lyme community they had never known existed. What once felt like uncharted territory gradually revealed a network of physicians, researchers, advocacy organizations, and patient resources devoted to helping individuals navigate complex disease.

The more they learned, the clearer it became that access to reliable information can profoundly shape a patient’s care journey. Guided by these insights, and informed by their educational and professional backgrounds, Carter and Payton committed themselves to making that knowledge more accessible.

Introducing LymeLess Health

After years of development and collaboration with patients and Lyme-literate clinicians, the brother and sister launched LymeLess Health. It’s a digital platform created to bring clarity and organization to the often overwhelming realities of complex care.

LymeLess Health helps patients manage evolving treatment plans, multiple therapies, and the unpredictable nature of complex illness. Available as a mobile app through the App Store and Google Play, it supports patients in tracking their health, recognizing patterns, and preparing for more productive conversations with their clinicians. It is not intended to replace medical care but rather to complement it.

Ella, the Lyme‑literate AI assistant

At the center of the LymeLess platform is Ella, an AI-powered health companion created to help patients living with Lyme and associated conditions. Unlike general health apps, Ella draws from Lyme-literate resources and is designed to support the realities of complex care, where treatment plans often require ongoing adjustment.

Ella is designed to support patients in several important ways:

Tracking: Log symptoms, medications, supplements, and therapies in one place.

Care reminders: Customizable alerts help patients stay organized with treatment schedules.

Pattern recognition: Compiles health data over time to identify trends and treatment responses.

Visit preparation: Generates concise summaries for you to take to your doctor appointments.

Health timeline: Organizes medical records, labs, rash images, and appointment notes in one secure location, enabling Ella to generate summaries for provider visits and insurance requests.

Care navigation: Access educational resources and locate Lyme-literate providers.

Adaptive support: Adjusts alongside changing care plans without requiring patients to rebuild their records.

Through a conversational interface, Ella helps patients build a personalized record of their health, enabling them to better understand their condition and monitor progress over time.

Putting Lyme knowledge right in your hands

The Bradsky siblings set out to place Lyme-literate knowledge directly into the hands of patients. Their goal is simple yet powerful: to help patients navigate illness with greater confidence, clarity, and support.

For patients and caregivers living with the uncertainty of tick-borne disease, tools that provide support and structure can feel like a long-awaited point of direction. While no platform can calm the storm entirely, having guidance along the way can make the path forward easier to see.

To learn more, visit LymeLess.com or download the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. The first month is offered at no cost, giving new users time to explore the platform and see if it’s right for them.

Terri McCormick is a writer and advocate with LymeDisease.org. She is author of the forthcoming book Being Misdiagnosed: Stories That Reveal the Hidden Epidemic of Lyme Disease.