RACHAEL

Parents with AE & AEA Community Support Groups

What motivates you in your work at the AE Alliance?

No one truly knows the isolation and loneliness of a medical journey until they go through one themselves. I discovered this for myself when I began my journey, with what I would later discover was Sernonegative Autoimmune Encephalitis, in April of 2018 after I had just become a brand-new mother. I wanted to help others not to feel as alone and isolated as I did. Many of us cannot yet travel or make in person meetings. The AE Alliance’s regional Zoom meetings offer a wonderful way for patients and caregivers to feel connected and supported. I feel this is extremely important to successful healing.  

Rachael’s journey to being diagnosed and treated took nearly two years and traveling cross country from Washington State to New York. Rachael strongly believes this is due to a lack of awareness and understanding of not only AE, but also seronegative AE. Along with working with the AE Alliance, Rachael is active on Instagram to help raise awareness about AE.

Prior to getting autoimmune encephalitis, Rachael worked as a Partner with Starbucks Corporate in their interneural technical help desk. Her position gave her unique training in supporting people and guiding people in technical and stressful situations.

Rachael’s favorite musician is Taylor Swift.