Bay Area Lyme Spotlights Series
“I hope people with Lyme can see themselves on screen and they resonate with it.”
– Tracy Mulholland
We sat down with Tracy Mulholland, actress, writer, producer, and Lyme patient, who wrote, produced, and stars in the award-winning short-form series Girl at a Bar, made possible by a grant from Bay Area Lyme Foundation. The short-form series, now available on YouTube, aims to provide an entertaining, accessible narrative to raise awareness about Lyme. Tracy hopes it will resonate with those living with chronic conditions and spark more conversations and content about these experiences. We discuss Tracy’s personal story as the inspiration behind the show and how the series explores challenges relevant not only to people navigating chronic illness but also to life in general. Conversation topics include:
- How the show is inspired by the creator’s own experiences with Lyme disease, including the social isolation and impacts on relationships that can occur during chronic illness.
- An exploration around themes of identity, vulnerability, and empathy, drawing parallels to other chronic and invisible illnesses beyond Lyme.
- In addition to the short-form series, Tracy is launching a related spin-off podcast series where others are challenged to push their comfort zones.
- Each episode aims to humanize the Lyme experience, foster greater understanding, and inspire more diverse storytelling about chronic illnesses in media and entertainment.
