In this episode, I chat with Anna Laurent, who is the Head of Programs and Initiatives at Our Odyssey, an organization which aims to connect young adults impacted by a rare or chronic condition with social and emotional support in the hope of improving their quality of life. Our Odyssey's vision is to establish a national organization with a platform that empowers, educates, and connects young adults experiencing health challenges. After becoming involved in numerous patient advocacy organizations, she found a lack of resources supporting young adults and this ignited her passion for uplifting the needs and voices of young adults. Anna has lobbied on Capitol Hill leading a team of Kentuckians advocating for vital rare disease and healthcare legislation. The culmination of this work led to Anna becoming the Head of Programs and Initiatives at Our Odyssey, an organization connecting young adults impacted by rare or chronic conditions with social and emotional support in the hope of improving their quality of life. She is a powerful advocate, educator, and speaker and plans to continue advocating for years to come!

Anna, herself, battles Alagille syndrome, an inherited condition in which bile builds up in the liver because there are too few bile ducts to drain the bile, thus resulting in liver damage. She is deeply involved in advocacy efforts and strives to bring awareness to this rare condition. 

Learn more about Our Odyssey and get involved!

Website: https://ourodyssey.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ourodyssey_/