Half Helen

5 days until half Helen turns 13!

While COVID-19 temporarily paused our ability to provide direct care, it didn't pause our mission. Children still needed access to vision care, and half Helen spent that time looking for new ways to reach them.

Optical Prime Jr. had already proven that bringing care directly to schools worked. However, one challenge remained: space. Our portable clinic required an available room where equipment could be set up, and not every school or community center could accommodate those needs.

So we began asking a new question. What if the clinic itself was mobile?

During the pandemic, we started designing what would eventually become a fully mobile eye clinic. Instead of transporting equipment into a building, we envisioned a clinic that could park right outside a school or community center and provide care from within the vehicle itself. As the months passed, the idea went through multiple iterations and our team worked tirelessly to build partnerships and secure funding to turn the vision into reality.

When schools eventually reopened, half Helen returned to the field to continue providing direct care. With students spending more time than ever on computers, tablets, and digital devices, clear vision became increasingly important for learning and success.

9 days until half Helen turns 13!

After returning to Texas in 2015, Chelsea began the next step in half Helen’s journey. Building on what she learned in Hawaii, half Helen expanded into a team of state-certified vision screeners.

With a growing team, half Helen was able to bring vision screenings directly to schools and community organizations. Together, they screened hundreds of students each day, helping identify children with potential vision problems and connecting families to the care they needed.

When she wasn't screening students, Chelsea spent her time meeting with community leaders, educators, healthcare providers, and advocates to share the importance of early vision detection. These conversations helped build the partnerships needed to drive meaningful change in the communities half Helen served. Her advocacy efforts even earned her the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at a Round Rock Express game, helping bring attention to the importance of children's vision health.