Eighteen-year-old phenom Sierra Kerr announced that she has been battling Lyme disease, which has kept her out of the water for several months this year.
Kerr, the daughter of former Australian Championship Tour veteran Josh Kerr, said she first noticed symptoms in January after the WSL World Junior Championships.
“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,” said the surf prodigy known for her innovative aerial maneuvers. “From February through April, I was out of the water completely. I couldn’t stand on a surfboard.”
Doctors initially misdiagnosed her ailments, but after returning to the U.S. and undergoing procedures and testing, they were able to determine Lyme disease was the culprit.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. Initial symptoms usually appear flu-like, but if untreated they can worsen to fatigue, headaches and neck stiffness, rashes, and heart palpitations.
According to the CDC, approximately 476,000 people may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease per year. The disease is more common in the Northeast and Midwest of the U.S. due to environmental factors. For example, it’s estimated that only two percent of ticks in California carry the Lyme bacteria.
Even though she felt weak, Kerr returned to competitive surfing in May. She competed in the Stab High event in Japan in May (and won), and entered the first three stops of the WSL Challenger Series (CS) in Australia, South Africa, and California. However, she missed the fourth stop in Portugal, dropping seven spots in the rankings to 32nd.
She explained that some days she feels almost normal, while other days she doesn’t, which makes it challenging to compete.
Kerr says that she’s resting, lightly training, doing physical therapy, and working with specialists, which is making her stronger. She can surf most days in moderation and still has her eyes on winning a few world titles.
“I’m hungrier than ever and confident I’ll be back to being me soon,” she said.