Who is half Helen?

Becoming “half Helen”

Chelsea Elliott’s journey began with a failed vision screening that revealed blindness in her left eye due to a rare condition called Coats’ disease. Two years later, another setback occurred as a hearing screening revealed hearing loss in her right ear. Half blind and half deaf but brimming with determination, Chelsea affectionately embraced the moniker “half Helen” in honor of her hero, Helen Keller.

Creating a Solution

After learning about a revolutionary tool called the Spot Vision Screener, which can identify vision impairments in children within seconds, Chelsea founded the half Helen Foundation and set out to create a plan to provide preventive vision and hearing screenings, ensuring early detection and intervention for children. Chelsea’s efforts led to legislative change, allowing schools to use photoscreening technology for all ages. Her advocacy work culminated in the passing of HB 3157, expanding access to preventive screenings. Since its inception, the half Helen Foundation has screened over 68,000 children, helping them receive timely eye exams and corrective wear.In 2020, half Helen took the next step by launching a popup clinic capable of providing vision care services in schools. This laid the groundwork for the subsequent launch of optical Prime, a fully mobile clinic housed in a compact, yet impactful vehicle. This tiny house on wheels travels across the greater Austin area providing quality vision care to the communities that need it most. Additionally, 2023 marked a milestone of achievement for half Helen, as they celebrated a decade of community care. This occasion saw the introduction of a second mobile clinic, increasing half Helen’s ability to provide even more essential resources to underserved communities.