Violet Lea's Healthcare Journey: "HAAM saved my life."

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Violet Lea (Madam Radar, PAACK) was working as a full-time musician in South Korea when her life was turned upside down by an undiagnosed skin condition. Within a year of onset, Violet suffered from scaly, crusty patches on her skin covering 90% of her body. 

“Initially, it started as a tiny little spot on my face. It was the weirdest thing. It was just this scaly little spot that wouldn't go away,” Violet recalls. “Then it just spread over the side of my face, my forehead, then all over my scalp, eventually moving down my body, my arms, my torso, and everywhere. I looked like a leper.”

Violet went to multiple dermatologists. She tried changing her diet. Nothing worked. One prescribed steroid cream even made the condition worse.

“I couldn't ride in people's cars because my scalp left skin all over. It was embarrassing. I couldn't wear dark clothes because my skin was just falling off of me all the time. And I didn't know what to do.”

She eventually learned that the autoimmune disorder was a severe case of plaque psoriasis, leaving her crippled with pain, swelling, itching, burning, depression and anxiety.

“I wanted to come back to the States just to be with my parents, because I was suicidal,” Violet recalls. “It got to the point where I couldn't wear clothes that touched my body because if I turned the wrong way, I'd bleed everywhere.”  

When researching where she’d live when she returned to Texas, Violet discovered HAAM. She was taken aback by the potential salvation, learning there was a nonprofit who assisted Austin musicians with healthcare navigation. 

“Somebody mentioned to me that Austin has a program that assists musicians with healthcare. I knew that there was a biologic that could help me. I'd seen Cindy Lauper talk about it because she apparently had the same condition,” Violet says. “The biologic is about $5,000 a month. I never could have afforded it.”

Violet made the decision to move to Austin to be closer to her family in North Texas, and in hopes of being eligible for HAAM’s services.

“I moved to Austin, joined a band, and I got enrolled into HAAM as quickly as I could. And, I was able to get Sendero Silver Plan health insurance and find a provider that covers biologics. My decision to move to Austin was absolutely influenced by the fact that HAAM was out there helping musicians like myself!”

After Violet started a new medication regimen, her extreme medical condition improved. “It was like magic. Within a week the lesions were starting to clear up. And I started taking the injections and within six months it had cleared like 50%, which is incredible. After a year, it had cleared up 95%. I got my confidence back. I'm so thankful for HAAM. It’s something that I'll never take for granted.”

Like many HAAM musicians, Violet utilizes the full host of HAAM healthcare providers to assist her in doing what she loves: recording and performing in Austin, and touring across the United States.

“HAAM has helped me multiple times with dental issues. I have the worst teeth. I can chew a piece of gum and get a cavity. It runs in my family, “Violet jests. “I'm constantly having to go to the dentist to get things done and anytime I send HAAM an email, they get right back to me. And they always refer me to great people. My boyfriend (Madam Radar drummer Kody Lee) just had to get all four of his wisdom teeth removed and that was gonna cost him like $2,500. But thanks to HAAM, the entire cost was covered. So it's just, it's incredible.”

Violet was also able to receive mental health services that helped her navigate her past suicidal ideation. “I’ve had a lot of traumatic experiences in my life. I knew I needed to talk to somebody. My boyfriend can't be the one that has to listen to all this. I’ve seen a few different mental health counselors over the years, and it has just been so helpful.”

Every single HAAM donor, every single HAAM donation, leads to life-saving medical success stories like Violet’s.

“It's just incredible that we live in a city that offers healthcare to musicians. I have so many friends that suffer because they just can't afford to go get a tooth fixed, or go to the doctor. It breaks my heart and I just feel so grateful that I have HAAM. It makes me really emotional to think about it because I lived so long without health insurance. I can’t thank HAAM enough!”

donate now to keep music in Austin alive and well -and to support musicians like Violet.