Our Why

The Vigilant Advocate was founded to meet a signifcant need in healthcare: navigation support for caregivers.

In 2017, the founder of TVA’s son, AJ, missed a year of school sick. Four days into the start of sixth grade AJ, was sent home from school sick; he never went back that year. AJ suffered from debilitating symptoms: he was hospitalized multiple times, he underwent countless tests, he was prescribed many, many drugs and he saw a wide variety of specialists. Through it all, he never had a (correct) diagnosis. Without a diagnosis, his family was left to navigate the health system on their own.

With luck and persistence, they found an answer. After nearly 9 months of illness, a doctor found that AJ had an allergy to a type of indoor mold that was growing, invisibly, just above his room. AJ had become sick in September with an unknown issue; the mold kept him a prisoner of his health. Once the mold was removed, AJ’s health returned. He now is a healthy, happy, 19 year old boy getting ready to go to college.

The same year that AJ fell ill, his younger sister, Caroline was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. While her condition was (relatively) quickly diagnosed, it was a frightening and confusing time. Autoimmune disorders are complicated and often require invasive testing and interventions. Understanding what the symptoms meant, what the diagnosis meant, and navigating the testing and interventions was complicated.

After experiencing how difficult it was to navigate the healthcare system as caregiver of two children with complex and confusing health issues, Kristen Best set out to build an organization to help families like hers. In 2024, she founded the Vigilant Advocate with a clear mission: to support caregivers as they navigate healthcare through providing advocacy, resources, and support.