She has experienced first-hand the journey through chronic illness. While living on the Hopi reservation (for fieldwork) she contracted giardia which led to malabsorption syndrome. Years later she was misdiagnosed with lyme disease, an illness that had no conclusive diagnostic test. Annie has survived years of acute joint pain, intestinal disorders and chronic fatigue.

She used her analytical research skills, along with intuition, to discover a wide variety of treatments. Then experimented with many healing modalities...from acupuncture, sweat lodges, homeopathy and herbs, to chiropractors and traditional western medicine.

Annie knows first-hand the importance of finding support groups and compassionate healers. She knows how crucial hope is, how belief systems play a major role in healing and how valuable accurate information is. From experience Ms. Acker knows that alternative treatments combined with western medicine enable the body to better heal.

Because so many people are dealing with “invisible disabilities” like chronic fatigue, lupus, MS and environmental illness, she specializes in empowering patients with information. Having someone available through the course of an illness is invaluable support. You may need current medical information, a support group, even healthcare referrals. As your illness changes, you may wish to replace drugs with supplements or learn more about treatment options.

Annie has traveled the road through despair into hope, from darkness into light; a road that’s led to her present path…being of service through medical research.