At just 12 years old, Mara was diagnosed with Takayasu Arteritis, a rare condition that left her unable to walk. Doctors told her she would live with disability for the rest of her life. By the time she turned 20, she was also managing IgM Nephropathy, another rare disease that affected her kidney function. Despite the severity of her conditions, the Social Security Administration (SSA) determined Mara was not disabled and cut off the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits she had been receiving since 2012.
The loss of benefits devastated Mara, who still struggled with basic activities of daily life. With only one functioning kidney, chronic inflammation, and ongoing medical needs—including biweekly infusions that left her bedridden for hours—she was unable to work full-time. In November 2019, SSA notified her that her benefits would end, pushing her family into uncertainty.
That’s when Mara turned to Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA). Staff Attorney Channing Guidry of LSLA’s Public Benefits Unit represented her in appealing SSA’s decision. To strengthen her case, Guidry recommended that Mara keep a journal documenting her “bad days,” recording symptoms and the limitations she faced. This record of her daily struggles became powerful evidence of the reality of her disability.
Over the next two years, Guidry built a detailed case file. He gathered extensive medical records from Mara’s neurologists, cardiologists, rheumatologists, and nephrologists, demonstrating the lifelong and severe impact of her conditions. At her Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing, Guidry presented this evidence along with Mara’s personal documentation.
The result was a Fully Favorable Decision. Mara’s SSI benefits were reinstated, giving her and her family the financial stability they need to continue managing her complex medical care.
*Name(s) have been changed to protect the client’s identity.
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org