Discover Sarah Voss's challenging journey to the Paris Olympics after being diagnosed with Lyme disease, shedding light on the struggles faced by many with this illness.
Sarah Voss has already won. The simple act of stepping inside the serene Bercy Arena, soaked in a calming teal palette for podium training at the 2024 Paris Olympics is the culmination of an exasperating journey and a proper diagnosis.
“I would say the road here was very bumpy,” says Voss, the two-time German Olympic gymnast. “I got sick and I was very frustrated. I didn’t know what’s going on with my body. And the doctors didn’t know what to do anymore.”
The doctors eventually figured it out. Voss reveals for the first time that she was diagnosed with Lyme-Borreliose. This was on top of another diagnosis of mononucleosis. The frustration Voss felt as she suffers from extreme fatigue, requiring her to take frequent trips to the hospital is a common story told amongst those who suffer from Lyme. It’s estimated that one in seven people on the planet are infected with Lyme disease according to a recent study in BMJ Global Health.
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