Sierra Kerr Diagnosed with Lyme Disease

Update: The last eight months have been a very challenging health journey for me, but I finally have answers and a path forward. After World Juniors, I got really sick and was hospitalized in Australia with neurological and GI symptoms that made it hard to walk or even lift my legs and with numerous other symptoms. I was misdiagnosed with Guillain Barré syndrome and a post viral. As of the beginning of October, I’ve have been diagnosed with active Lyme disease with neurological and GI involvement.

From February through April, I was out of the water completely. I couldn’t stand on a surfboard. By May, I started slowly retraining myself to surf again. I was able to compete at Stab High, in a controlled environment. I was very weak but determined to do an air. Doctors told me to keep pushing, so I surfed the first three Challenger Series events while still extremely weak and ill. After the US Open, my body completely shut down again and all my symptoms came back. That’s when I knew I needed to look for more help.

With support and recommendations from Red Bull, I was able to connect with doctors and get help in the US. After going through hospital stays, ER visits, procedures, and testing, I finally found answers that make sense. The one thing about this is, somedays I feel almost normal and then some days I don’t. Which makes it confusing and challenging. Being happy, positive, motivated and surrounded by love and support has been my best therapy so far.

I’m working with specialists, doing PT, and lightly training again. Im getting stronger daily. I’m able to surf every day, play golf, and do the things I love to do, in moderation. In the middle of all this, I graduated high school and even started learning to play the drums.

I’m truly grateful to my family, friends, sponsors, Surfing Australia, and the WSL for all your love, support and patience.

I’m hungrier than ever and confident I’ll be back to being me soon. I have goals for the next few months that I hope to reach and I won’t stop working toward them. I still, more than ever, have a few world titles in mind. I just have to jump over a few hurdles to get there

We’re glad to hear Sierra is on the road to recovery. Hopefully, it's a speed bump, not a full stop, for one of the best female surfers in the world today. Let's not glance over the fact that Sierra graduated from high school during all of this. What a warrior.