Episode 552: Childhood Lyme Disease, Medical Gaslighting, The Quiet Epidemic, and Becoming the Doctor She Needed – Julia Bruzzese

In this powerful and deeply moving episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast, we sit down with Julia Bruzzese, a 22-year-old Lyme disease survivor, disability advocate, and future physician whose life was forever changed by an untreated tick bite in childhood.

After developing a classic bull’s-eye rash at age 9, Julia went undiagnosed for nearly two years, despite textbook symptoms of Lyme disease. By age 11, she experienced a catastrophic neurological decline that left her paraplegic and wheelchair-bound. Over the next decade, Julia saw more than 100 doctors, endured profound medical gaslighting, and navigated an exhausting journey through antibiotics, IVIG, IV antibiotics, plasmapheresis, stem cells, ozone therapy, and integrative care.

Julia’s story became internationally known after a moment with Pope Francis on the JFK airport tarmac went viral in 2015—an event that opened doors to care, advocacy, and awareness. She later became the emotional centerpiece of the award-winning documentary The Quiet Epidemic, appeared at New York Fashion Week as a Lyme disease advocate, and was profiled by renowned journalist Mary Beth Pfeiffer.

Today, Julia is finishing her undergraduate degree and has been accepted into medical school, determined to become the kind of doctor she needed when the system failed her.

This episode is a masterclass in:

• Pediatric Lyme disease

• Medical gaslighting vs. lack of education

• Clinical diagnosis vs. unreliable testing

• The patient-doctor relationship

• Chronic illness, disability, and purpose

• Why Lyme disease changes lives—and why early treatment matters

Childhood Lyme Disease & Missed Diagnosis

• Tick bite and bull’s-eye rash dismissed at age 9

• Two years of worsening symptoms labeled as “growing pains,” viruses, or psychological

• Why early Lyme treatment saves lives

Neurological Collapse & Hospital Trauma

• Sudden onset of paralysis, vision loss, fevers, hair loss, and weakness at age 11

• Over 100 doctors and repeated hospitalizations

• Being accused of malingering and conversion disorder

• The devastating impact of medical disbelief on children

The Quiet Epidemic Documentary

• How Julia became the heart of the film at age 12

• Why she initially hesitated to share her story

• The emotional impact of seeing her illness reflected on screen

• How the documentary helps families explain Lyme disease to others

Meeting Pope Francis & Global Awareness

• How a school principal secured last-minute tickets

• The Pope walks directly to Julia’s wheelchair

• The moment that changed everything

• Media coverage that led to access to lifesaving care

Treatment Journey

• Lyme-literate diagnosis by NP Somer DelSignore

• Oral and IV antibiotics

• IVIG (including under-dosing issues)

• Plasmapheresis

• POTS, Babesia, Bartonella, and autoimmune complications

• Stem cell therapy abroad

• Ozone and integrative protocols

• Why there is no single silver bullet for Lyme disease

The Medical System & Lyme Denial

• Why doctors often say “it’s all in your head”

• The difference between malice and lack of training

• How medical education fails chronic illness patients

• Fear of insurance companies, lawsuits, and “accepted guidelines”

• Why Lyme is a clinical diagnosis, not a test result

Reframing “Medical Gaslighting”

• Why anger is understandable—but not always healing

• How patients and doctors can become better partners

• Understanding doctors’ limitations without excusing harm

• Advocacy with clarity, not hostility

Disability, Identity & Resilience

• Navigating life and education as a wheelchair user

• Accommodations, accessibility, and invisible illness

• “I have Lyme. I am not Lyme.”

• Learning when to rest, when to fight, and when to live

Becoming the Doctor She Needed

• Working as a medical assistant and hospital volunteer in a wheelchair

• Applying to and being accepted into medical school

• Becoming the first wheelchair-using medical student at her institution

• Why lived experience belongs in medicine

Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

• Lawsuit filed in NYC (March 2021) against multiple doctors and hospitals

• Failure to diagnose and treat Lyme disease despite clear evidence

• Why Lyme malpractice cases are rare—and necessary

• Seeking accountability, not revenge

Purpose, Faith & Meaning

• From “Why me?” to “Why not me?”

• How suffering clarified her calling

• The role of faith, family, and community

• Why Julia wouldn’t give this journey back—even now

Memorable Quotes

• “I was criminalized as an eleven-year-old child for being sick.”

• “It actually was in my head—the bacteria was in my brain.”

• “I have Lyme disease. I am not Lyme disease.”

• “There is no silver bullet for Lyme. Healing is trial and error.”

• “I wouldn’t be who I am—or know my purpose—without this journey.”

Why This Episode Matters

This episode is essential listening for:

• Parents of children with unexplained symptoms

• Lyme disease and chronic illness patients

• Medical professionals and students

• Advocates fighting for better diagnostics and care

• Anyone who has ever felt dismissed, unseen, or unheard in healthcare

Julia Bruzzese’s story is not just about Lyme disease—it’s about truth, resilience, accountability, and hope.