Friends rally for Mayo woman ahead of specialised treatment programme in Cyprus

A MAJOR online fund-raising campaign in support of Mayo native, Orla O’Brien, for a specialised treatment programme in Cyprus, was launched last week.

Orla is daughter of Enda and Eileen O’Brien, Ballyfarna, near Knock, and has lived in Scotland for over 20 years.

For the past six years, she has been battling a severe chronic illness that has drastically changed her life. What began as exhaustion in 2018 soon developed into chronic fatigue, pain, tremors, infections, heart palpitations, and brain fog.

Before becoming ill, Orla worked as a mental health social worker and volunteered in Nepal on a girls’ education project. As her condition worsened, she was forced to leave her job, losing her independence and financial security.

Specialist testing in Germany confirmed Lyme disease, and she later underwent extensive treatment in Dublin, which brought only temporary relief.

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Despite periods of improvement, she continues to struggle daily with severe symptoms.

Orla now hopes to attend an intensive treatment programme in Cyprus aimed at addressing Lyme disease and related co-infections.

Friends have rallied to the cause and started fundraising page. The estimated cost needed for treatment and recovery is €80,000 needed and around €30,000 had already been raised by yesterday evening (Monday).

Orla is wished all the best with the new treatment programme and a recovery to good health in the times ahead.

The link for Orla’s fundraiser is: https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/orlaobrien