An inside look at Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey

Many of you living with epilepsy in the Texas and Louisiana areas have been directly affected by Hurricane Harvey. You may not be surprised to learn the team here at Living Well With Epilepsy has also felt the impact. Two of our writers are both based in Houston, TX:

Rachel Ehrhardt

and

Abby Gustus-Alford

I am happy to report both Abby and Rachel and their respective families are doing okay so far. But I ask you to please keep them in your thoughts.

Houston Underwater

Rachel sent along the following photos to give a sense of the flooding in Houston.

Make a difference

If you are able to

Make a Financial Donation

Support the American Red Cross. My husband is currently in Texas supporting the relief effort. Any support you can give to the the Red Cross is welcome.

Donate Today

The Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund was established by Houston’s mayor, Sylvester Turner, and is administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation.
Houston Food Bank and the Food Bank of Corpus Christi are asking for financial donations.
The United Way of Greater Houston flood relief fund will be used to help with immediate needs as well as long-term services like minor home repair. Visit their website to donate or text UWFLOOD to 41444.
The L.G.B.T.Q. Disaster Relief Fund will be used to help people “rebuild their lives through counseling, case management, direct assistance with shelf stable food, furniture, housing and more.” It is managed by The Montrose Center, Houston’s longtime community center for the area’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender population.

Give Blood

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is experiencing a shortage. To donate, call 210-731-5590 or visit their website for more information.
Carter BloodCare covers hospitals in North, Central and East Texas. To donate, call 877-571-1000 or text DONATE4LIFE to 444-999.

Help for Animals

To help animals suffering from the disaster, visit the Houston Humane Society or the San Antonio Humane Society.
The Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has set up an animal emergency response hotline (713-861-3010) and is accepting donations on its website.

Help for Families

The Texas Diaper Bank in San Antonio is asking for diapers and wipes, which can be dropped off in person or mailed to 5415 Bandera Road, Suite 504, San Antonio, Tex., 78238.

For More Options

For more options, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends checking with the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster for a list of trusted disaster-relief organizations in Texas.

Let us know

If you are in Texas or Louisiana and living with epilepsy let us know.

Jessica K. Smith Founder and CEO; Executive Director

Jessica Keenan Smith is a patient advocate and epilepsy community leader with more than 15 years of experience. As Founder and CEO of Living Well With Epilepsy and Executive Director of ASENT she bridges the gap between the scientific and patient communities, with a particular focus on the needs of the epilepsies. Jessica Keenan Smith is Founder and CEO of Living Well With Epilepsy, an award winning online resource for people affected by epilepsy to share stories and access in-depth information on the disease. Since 2009, Living Well With Epilepsy (https://livingwellwithepilepsy.com) has been featured in Forbes, Wired, NBC, NPR and the cover story of Epilepsy Advocate Magazine and has partnered with companies such as UCB, Lundbeck, Sunovion, Eisai, and more. Ms. Smith is also the Executive Director of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics (ASENT) (https://asent.org), an organization that brings together leaders from industry, academia, government and advocacy who are engaged in bringing drugs and devices to market across all neurologic disease states. In this role she is responsible for leading a successful scientific journal and annual scientific conference with speakers from all over the world.

See Full Bio