Advocate Spotlight: Tracey M. Brown

My name is Tracey M. Brown, and I am a stroke survivor, wellness advocate, and founder of BodyTraceFit and Stroking In My Stilettos.

In 2019, my life changed instantly when I suffered a stroke that left the left side of my body paralyzed. At the time, I was a full-time entrepreneur running my own gym and wellness business. My livelihood depended entirely on my ability to physically show up every day. When the stroke happened, everything stopped.

Overnight, I went from training clients, teaching fitness, and building my business to relearning how to walk, balance, and function independently again. While I was trying to process the emotional trauma of surviving a stroke, I was also facing another harsh reality: there was no guaranteed paid medical leave to protect me during recovery.

As a self-employed business owner, if I could not work, I could not earn. There was no pause button for bills, responsibilities, or financial pressure while my body was trying to heal. Recovery after stroke is not just physical. It is emotional, mental, and financial. Survivors often carry invisible stress while navigating rehabilitation appointments, medication management, mobility challenges, and the grief of losing parts of the life they once knew.

Paid family and medical leave could have provided stability during one of the most vulnerable seasons of my life. It would have allowed me the ability to focus more fully on recovery without the overwhelming fear of losing everything I worked so hard to build. Healing requires time, support, and access to care without the added burden of financial devastation.

Today, through my advocacy work, wellness programs, survivor support groups, and outreach efforts, I help other stroke survivors regain confidence and independence. I have spoken with countless survivors and caregivers who share similar fears about income loss during major health crises.

No one should have to choose between their health and their livelihood.

Paid family and medical leave are not a luxury. It is a lifeline for families navigating some of life’s most difficult and unexpected moments. I strongly support efforts like Senate Bill 396 because survivors and caregivers deserve the opportunity to heal without facing financial collapse at the same time.