Dorothy Leland

Dorothy Kupcha Leland is president of LymeDisease.org, a national research and patient advocacy organization. She writes the blog Touched by Lyme and is co-author of the book When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide.

Rachel and Dorothy are the co-authors of Finding Resilience: A Teen’s Journey Through Lyme Disease. This memoir is based on the journal Rachel started at age 13, when she became seriously disabled by what turned out to be Lyme disease and co-infections—but, of course, they didn’t know that at first. However, the book tells not only Rachel’s story, but also that of her mother. Passages written by Dorothy are interspersed with Rachel’s, offering a unique picture of how Lyme disease can affect the whole family.