Avril Lavigne Lyme disease: Singer announces comeback single after 'accepting death’ during battle with illness

The singer opened up about her battles with the disease in a message to fans
Avril Lavigne penned a heartfelt letter to fans opening up about her battle with Lyme disease.
John Parra/Getty Images
Georgia Chambers7 September 2018
The Weekender

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and theatre ticket deals

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Pop-punk singer Avril Lavigne has announced her long-awaited musical comeback after opening up about her battle with Lyme Disease.

In an open letter to fans, she admitted to spending the last few years battling the disease at home, admitting she had "accepted death" while on her sickbed.

The Canadian singer, 33, who hasn't released an album in over five years, said her new single, titled Head Above Water, details her experiences with Lyme Disease.

Avril wrote on her website: "I spent the last few years at home sick fighting Lyme Disease. Those were the worst years of my life as I went through both physical and emotional battles. I was able to turn that fight into music I’m really proud of.

"I wrote songs in my bed and on the couch and recorded there mostly as well. Words and lyrics that were so true to my experience came pouring out of me effortlessly. Truly… by keeping my spirits up, having goals to reach and a purpose to live for, my music helped to heal me and keep me alive."

Avril Lavigne has not released an album in over five years
Getty Images

The singer went on to discuss her new single, writing: "It is the first song I wrote from my bed during one of the scariest moments of my life. I had accepted death and could feel my body shutting down. I felt like I was drowning.

"Like I was going under water and I just needed to come up for air. Like I was in a river being pulled in a current. Unable to breathe. Praying to God for Him to help me just keep my head above the water. To help me see through the stormy weather. I grew closer to Him. My mother held me. In her arms, I wrote the first song that I am releasing to tell my story."

Avril Lavigne performing in South Korea in 2014
Getty Images

She continued to say how her battle with the illness had made her latest piece of music her most vulnerable and intimate yet.

"I have decided to be truthful about my struggle, open and more vulnerable than ever before. And to be honest, part of me doesn’t want to talk about being sick because I want it to all be behind me, but I know I have to," she said.

"I want more than ANYTHING to be back up on stage. To be holding my guitars and running around. To sing my heart out and travel around the world to see all of my fans. ‘I’m so excited to be returning with new music and to have you on this journey with me. Let’s do this! New era!"

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks and spread to humans.

The ticks carrying the disease are found in the UK and in parts of Europe and North America.

In England and Wales, it's estimated that there are 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of Lyme disease each year.

What are the symptoms?

For most sufferers, a rash will begin to develop within the first four weeks of contracting the infection.

Some will also get flu-like symptoms such as:

  • a high-temperature
  • headaches
  • muscle and joint pain
  • tiredness and loss of energy

More serious symptoms include:

  • pain and swelling in the joints
  • problems with the nervous system - numbness, tingling, paralysis
  • heart problems
  • inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord

Some people with Lyme disease may also develop symptoms similar to those with chronic fatigue syndrome.

How is Lyme disease treated?

Lyme disease is usually treated with a course of antibiotics.

Most people will get better after antibiotics, but some people may be referred for further blood tests.

There's currently no clear consensus on the best treatment for Lyme disease because the underlying cause is not clear.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in