78. Discussing undiagnosed tick-borne infections, grief, action, and science with Nicole Bell
After losing her husband to tick-borne illness, Nicole set out to use her engineering skills and experience to ensure that no family would have to go through something similar.
In this episode, we talk with Nicole Bell, CEO of Galaxy Diagnostics and author of the memoir What Lurks in the Woods. Nicole is an experienced executive in the medical device and diagnostics industry, and holds Master’s degrees in materials science and biomedical engineering. She has exceptional experience in commercializing innovative technologies, building research and development programs, and driving products through to FDA approval.
Nicole’s best-selling and award-winning memoir, What Lurks in the Woods, vividly details her family’s experience with undiagnosed tick-borne infection. This firsthand knowledge of the devastating impact of misdiagnosed chronic illness fuels her passion to drive a new diagnostic standard of care for the industry. After losing her husband to tick-borne illness, Nicole set out to use her engineering skills and experience to ensure that no family would have to go through something similar.
Nicole also served as the primary author of “The State of Lyme Disease Research in the United States,” and regularly collaborates with the Center for Lyme Action to change the political landscape for Lyme Disease and related coinfections.
Resources
Topics discussed
- 1:27 What motivated Nicole to share her story
- 5:46 How journaling and writing helped Nicole with her children and their grief process
- 9:12 Key messages from What Lurks in the Woods
- 12:30 Facing challenges and persevering with complex, chronic illnesses through the traditional medical system
- 14:25 Nicole’s management of her own grief while supporting her children through the loss of their father
- 18:20 What Nicole wishes she knew earlier, and the troubles with the traditional Lyme disease testing
- 21:45 How Nicole ended up at Galaxy Diagnostics, and why new testing is important
- 33:10 Navigating the Lyme space as a caregiver
