DANIELLE MUSICK

Danielle Musick is a native Utahn that loves dogs and the mountains. She graduated in Health Education and Promotion from the University of Utah and is currently working on her Master of Social Work degree at Arizona State University. After being a pharmacy technician, Junior High Health teacher, foster parent, and high school swim coach, she found a great passion for social work and mental health. She has been involved in the mental health community and organization boards positions such as Chair of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Salt Lake City Affiliate and Chair of Wasatch Mental Health Friends of Giant Steps.

 

After a difficult pregnancy, Danielle was holding her one-week-old son when a cardiologist said, "you have the heart of an 80-year-old woman." She was 30 years old. Miraculously she overcame undiagnosed an untreated cardiac Lyme and competed in 10 endurance races in one season. After being prescribed steroids, she went from training for an Ironman triathlon to not being able to walk 25 yards. Currently, she battles neurological Lyme disease and co-infections. Her four children have transplacental transmission of Lyme disease.

 

“I feel passionate about correcting the injustices towards Chronic Lyme disease patients and the need for medical and social policy reform. My goal is health and healing while also becoming a Lyme literate/Lyme lived-it mental health provider. Our community carries a lot of pain and trauma, but I believe that together hope and healing is possible.”