Lives Interrupted: the Hidden Costs of Having a Neglected Illness
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Lives Interrupted seeks to illuminate the economic and other costs of having diseases like chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), post-treatment Lyme disease, and long COVID. These diseases affect millions, typically receive little research funding, and, as a consequence have few good treatments available. Find out more about Lives Interrupted here.
All Stories

Name: Elizabeth | Years Ill: 3 |
Location: Wolfville, Canada | |
Former Occupation: Retired | |
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 30 |
Story: In early March 2020 I became ill but for a while continued with winter hiking, thinking this was … |
Name: Lynn R | Years Ill: 17 |
Location: Vacaville, United States | |
Former Occupation: Registered Nurse | |
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 30 |
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$1,837,602 |

Name: Amy S. | Years Ill: 3 |
Location: Cortlandt Manor, United States | |
Former Occupation: Chief Program Officer | |
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 20 |
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$171,707 |
|
Story: I became symptomatic with COVID-19 on March 25, 2020; it started with shortness of breath, and fo… |

Name: Suzie B | Years Ill: 4 |
Location: Vancouver, Canada | |
Former Occupation: Film Production/Location Management | |
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 20 |
Story: I developed ME after my first chemotherapy, immunotherapy treatment and radiotherapy for stage 4 … |

Name: Mima | Years Ill: 7 |
Location: Phoenix, United States | |
Former Occupation: Law Enforcement Detective | |
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 20 |
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$225,913 |
|
Story: In 1998 I travel to Phoenix, Arizona, where I was provided a full doctoral scholarship to study m… |

Name: Cparks | Years Ill: 28 |
Location: Los Angeles, United States | |
Former Occupation: Science teacher | |
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 30 |
Story: I believe my ME/CFS started with a 20 month active EB infection when I was 19-21yo. I recovered t… |

Name: Cort | Years Ill: 42 |
Location: Henderson, United States | |
Former Occupation: Student | |
Current Occupation: Owner of Health Rising | |
Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 50 |
Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$783,738 |
|
Story: Long ago and pretty far away I was an athletic student running through the redwood forests on the… |

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Lives Interrupted
Lives Interrupted Latest Story
Don
Langham, Canada
Former occupation: Heavy duty journeyman Mechanic
Total Economic Losses:
CA $149,607
Lives Interrupted Stats
Years of Work Lost: 349
Average Total Economic Losses:
$850,815
Total Economic Losses:
$28,927,703
Lives Interrupted Sponsor
StudyME
Enroll in the OMF’s StudyME project and help bring about a cure for ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, POTS and long COVID.