Who is Rossana Magnotta and what is her connection to Lyme disease advocacy?

Rossana Di Zio Magnotta is the founder of Magnotta Winery, one of Canada's largest private wine producers, who became a leading Lyme disease advocate after watching her husband Gabe deteriorate from the illness before receiving a proper diagnosis. She transformed personal tragedy into public purpose, fighting for better testing and recognition of Lyme's impact.

Why is Lyme disease so difficult to diagnose in Canada?

Public health Lyme testing in Canada produces frequent false negatives, meaning many patients suffer without proper diagnosis for years. Rossana Magnotta describes the diagnostic test as faulty and points to inadequate testing as the reason countless Canadians have either died or remained seriously ill without knowing what was attacking their bodies.

What happened to Gabe Magnotta from Lyme disease?

Gabe Magnotta went from a healthy six-foot-two man to someone who could hardly walk, speak, write, or eat. The Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria attacked his entire system, but the diagnosis came too late for meaningful intervention. His decline became the foundation of Rossana's advocacy work and her refusal to accept 'not yet' from doctors or policymakers.

How does Rossana Magnotta describe her commitment to fighting Lyme disease awareness?

Rossana describes herself as someone who goes when she goes, but is not done yet. She frames her advocacy as a continuation of the purpose she and Gabe built together, channeling grief into action rather than retreat. Her dual identity as a winemaker and patient advocate reflects how completely her life pivoted after Gabe's illness.

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Rossana Magnotta's Fight Against Lyme Disease and Hope

By Joseph Tito • September 6, 2025

Rossana Di Zio Magnotta standing resilient

“I’ll go when I go. But not yet. I’m not done.”The Untold JourneyThere are moments in life that redefine everything, that split existence into a clear "before" and "after." For Rossana Di Zio Magnotta, that moment came when her husband, Gabe Magnotta, the man she built a wine empire with, began showing signs of a mysterious illness that would eventually rob him of his ability enjoy his life to the fullest - especially his passion and love for the outdoors."He went from a six-foot-two, 240-pound man to someone who could hardly walk," Rossana tells me, her voice steady but weighted with memory. "He couldn't talk. He couldn't write. He couldn't even eat. Everything was being attacked by that organism."The organism was Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, though they wouldn't get that diagnosis until much later. By then, it was too late.THE SILENT EPIDEMICWe're sitting in her office at Magnotta Winery, surrounded by photographs and awards that trace the remarkable journey of a woman who transformed a small wine business into one of Canada's largest private winemakers. But today, we're not here to discuss vintages or business acumen. We're here to talk about what happens when life shatters,...