Upcoming Events

SPEAKER: Michael Cook BSc, Kirstie Haysman & Sarah Grace

TITLE: From Challenge to Change: Voices of Lyme & Lived Experience

DATE: Tuesday 12th May 2026

TIME: 7:00PM BST | 8:00PM CEST | 2:00PM EDT

DESCRIPTION:

In support of Lyme Disease Awareness Month, we’re bringing together three people who have been personally affected by Lyme disease to share their experiences.

This webinar is intended to be a safe, open space for patients, families, and anyone navigating Lyme to hear real stories: the challenges, the setbacks, and the day-to-day reality of living with this condition.

Our speakers will talk honestly about their journeys, including diagnosis, ongoing symptoms, and the ups and downs that can come with Lyme disease. It’s a chance to feel less alone, learn from others, and hear perspectives that don’t always get shared in clinical settings.

We hope this session offers a sense of connection, understanding, and support, wherever you are on your journey.

This session will be facilitated by Gilian Crowther and Dr. Athanasios Vergopoulos (Laboratory Medical Director of ArminLabs)

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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Michael Cook BSc – Independent Lyme Disease Researcher

Michael J. Cook, born in 1943 in Redcar, England, graduated with a BSc in Physics and Mathematics from the University of London. His 36-year career included computer chip design, research and development, and process engineering in the semiconductor industry, working across the United Kingdom and United States, and leading multinational teams across the US, Europe, and Asia.

After retiring, he was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2009, which led him to investigate Lyme and associated conditions. He is the author or co-author of 14 papers on Lyme disease and has presented his work at conferences in Paris, Boston, Dublin, and London.

His work has included presentations to members of the UK Houses of Lords and Commons, as well as to medical, environmental, and government health agencies. He also investigated a UK Lyme testing laboratory and, alongside others, helped provide evidence of failures that led to its closure. He has also been part of a team presenting evidence at the United Nations on human rights issues affecting patients and clinicians working in Lyme disease.

Kirstie Haysman – Miss Great Britain

Kirstie Haysman is an inspirational author and advocate who transformed her journey from being bedbound and reliant on carers in her 30s due to Lyme disease into becoming a Miss Great Britain winner and a voice for inclusivity.

Her debut children’s book is designed to empower young readers, encouraging them to believe that the strength to overcome challenges lies within.

Kirstie uses her platform to inspire others, raise awareness of chronic health conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Lyme disease, and support charitable causes. She is a passionate advocate for inclusivity.

Sarah Grace – Psychotherapist, Publisher and Author

Sarah Grace is a fully qualified psychotherapist running a private practice, alongside her work in publishing. Living with Lyme disease, she has drawn on her own experiences and professional training to support clients in leading more fulfilling lives.

She works closely with individuals navigating the emotional and often frustrating journey of illness, recovery, and relapse. She has found that nutrition plays an important role in her own wellbeing and recovery, and she understands the many challenges this condition can bring.

Sarah is a proud mother of two and grandmother of two. She loves animals, especially hedgehogs, which she rehabilitates, along with her two cats, and enjoys nature, swimming, and travelling.

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Register here: www.aonm.org/LymeVoices

SPEAKER: Inna Duckworth, MBA, MSc, PgDip Naturopath, Nutritional Therapist, Medical Herbalist (mANP, mGNC)

TITLE: Stealth Pathogens in Fertility: An Overlooked Driver of ‘Unexplained’ Infertility?

DATE: Tuesday 2nd June

TIME: 7:00PM BST | 8:00PM CEST | 2:00PM EDT

DESCRIPTION:

Many infertility cases remain ‘unexplained’, but what if key drivers are simply being overlooked?

Despite advances in reproductive medicine, a significant proportion of patients continue to receive no clear diagnosis following standard investigations. Emerging clinical evidence suggests that stealth infections (pathogens that evade routine detection and persist at low-grade activity) may play a far more significant role in reproductive outcomes than current testing protocols reflect.

In this webinar, Inna Duckworth draws on her specialist clinical experience in complex fertility cases to explore the intersection of hidden infections and reproductive failure, from impaired embryo development and recurrent implantation failure to second-trimester loss.

This session is designed for practitioners and well-informed patients looking to move beyond the ‘unexplained’ label towards more targeted investigation.

In this AONM webinar, Inna will cover:

• When to suspect hidden infections: key clinical red flags and patient histories that should prompt investigation beyond standard panels
• Gaps in conventional testing, including limitations of the TORCH panel as currently applied in the NHS, and what a more comprehensive screening approach may involve
• Key clinical patterns to recognise: an introduction to the presentations and pathogen profiles commonly seen in practice (a core area of Inna’s practitioner training)

Whether you are a practitioner seeking to expand your fertility toolkit, or a patient who has been told your results are ‘normal’, this session offers a real case-based, evidence-informed perspective on what may be missed… and what can be done about it.

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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Inna Duckworth is a naturopath, nutritional therapist, and medical herbalist, and a member of the Association of Naturopathic Practitioners and the General Naturopathic Council.

While researching ADHD in children for her Master’s dissertation, she identified links between neurological symptoms and underlying stealth pathogens. This insight shaped the early direction of her clinical work, where she supported patients with Lyme disease, co-infections, and mould-related illness — forming a strong foundation for her later specialisation.

Since 2022, Inna’s clinical focus has centred on complex fertility cases involving stealth pathogens. She has developed specialist expertise through advanced training with Dr Leah Hechtman, mentorship with Naava Carman, Intimate Ecology training with Dr Moira Bradfield, and ongoing CPD.

She is also the creator of the Stealth Pathogens in Fertility Mentorship Programme (Launching September 2026) offering structured support for practitioners navigating complex fertility cases, including stealth pathogen work-up, functional testing interpretation, and integrative case management.

She has previously consulted for NGS testing company ScreenMe, supporting interpretation of female and reproductive microbiome test results, and contributing to advancements in this area.

Inna is a former CPD Team Lead at NIMH and Events Officer at CAMAS, Middlesex University. She has also worked as a consultant to the Perimenopause Hub, a community of over 30,000 members featured on the BBC and is a published author (Neal’s Yard Remedies Mental Wellness: A Holistic Approach To Mental Health And Healing).

She brings an additional 15 years of experience in strategic business and marketing from her previous career, which informs her work supporting both practitioners and patients.

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Register here: www.aonm.org/StealthPathogensFertility

DISCLAIMER: THIS SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE

The information on this webpage and these webinars is intended for educational and informative purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical or professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with regards to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment before undertaking a health care regimen. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice because of information you have read or seen on this website. The opinions stated in these webinars are those of the people speaking and not necessarily of AONM.