Washington Mystics Forward Elena Delle Donne Says She Takes 64 Pills a Day to Manage Lyme Disease

Washington Mystics Forward opens up about Lyme Disease after the league reportedly denies her medical request to opt-out of the 2020 Season.

Washington Mystics Forward Elena Delle Donne sat down with Sports Illustrated shortly after she released a heartfelt and must-read open letter with the Player's Tribune about her health, the 2020 WNBA season and coping with lyme disease.

Donne says that her request to opt-out of the 2020 WNBA season because of medical concerns was denied.  She says she has suffered from this chronic illness since 2008.  In the video interview above, Donna says she manages the disease with 64 pills a day. 

The independent panel of doctors hired by the WNBA considers the CDC's guidelines when evaluating high-risk cases and lyme disease is currently not on there. However, Donne's personal physician who has treated her for years has advised her that she is at high risk for complications if she were to contract COVID-19. 

The Mystics have not commented since releasing details that Donne entered the WNBA player medical evaluation protocol  The WNBA has not commented on the decision made.

The league I've given my blood, sweat and tears to has basically told me that my doctors are wrong and I'm wrong for believing them. So I wrote this. https://t.co/R9ABh9v73n

— Elena Delle Donne (@De11eDonne) July 15, 2020

Sports Illustrated's Kaitlin O'Toole speaks with Elena Della Donne about the moment she learned her opt-out request was denied.

Read the full story here