07/23/2026
Wow! What an incredible family and story. THIS is our future and we are so hopeful hearing about stories like this. Keep up the great work, Troupe family!
Huge congrats to NE PANS/PANDAS Coalition who were able to secure LB 762, an insurance law in NE! We are SO proud. 💚
🌟 Advocacy Spotlight – The Troupe Family 🌟 We are so proud to save our last spotlight in this series for the heart and soul of our Coalition- the Troupe Family. Grace, Matthew, Violet, and Belle are the reason we have LB 762.
Almost two years ago, when Violet was approved for high-dose IVIG and Belle was denied, Grace thought, “There oughta be a law!,” and she set out tirelessly to make it happen.
Grace contacted the non-profit Aspire to learn how to get a law passed and find draft legislation. She found a champion for the bill in state senator, Senator George Dungan. Grace and the girls met countless times with Senator Dungan and other state senators, sharing the hard parts about life with PANS and building support for the bill along the way. Grace and Violet testified at the committee hearing, with Violet opening the hearing by telling the committee what IVIG would mean for her: “I could stop taking lots of medicines and live just like any normal kid… Will you make this possible for me? The longer we wait to treat me, the harder it is for my treatment to work.” The entire family then took tremendous time out of their spring break to go to the Capitol daily, pulling senators off the floor and explaining why the bill was needed. As questions arose about costs, Matthew worked to understand the numbers and met with the fiscal analyst to explain the true fiscal impact. The family also poured their hearts into news coverage of the bill, both to build further support and to raise awareness generally about the illness. The family attended multiple rounds of the floor debate, continuing to meet with senators and asking for help. So many senators took notice. As Senator Hallstrom said during the first round of floor debate, “When I first met Violet and Grace, they captured my heart.” Violet and Grace, along with Belle and Matthew, have captured all of our hearts.
And, if we may say a few special words about Grace…
From Elizabeth, Coalition Co-founder: Over the last couple years, Grace has been a remarkable presence in our lives. She exemplifies resilience and strength, offers support to others even when facing her own struggles, and selflessly prioritizes the well-being of those around her. Her empathy and wisdom have made her a true inspiration. Not only does it take great courage to share our true stories with those we love and trust, Grace has the unique ability to make life feel balanced and “normal” even in difficult times. She is incredibly dependable in moments of crisis, offering support when it is needed most. For that, I will always be deeply grateful for her.
From Ali, Coalition Co-founder: I will never forget the first few times I met Grace. They were at the hospital in Creston, IA, where our daughters were receiving IVIG. Even in the Infusion Center at the hospital, Grace lit up the patient rooms and hallways. She is just that kind of person. She brings such immense warmth and, dare I say, grace wherever she goes. She is the mom that I aspire to be: kind to the core, patient to the end, and resilient no matter what. Something Grace said around the time of the committee testimony really stuck with me. She said she would “hold out a hand” for another mom that might want to testify. And I think that phrase explains everything you need to know about Grace. She is “holding out a hand” for every one of us.
Thank you, Troupe Family, for giving us LB 762 and for inspiring us to keep working hard for our kids. ❤️
