REBEL WITH A CAUSE

A REBEL WITH A CAUSE

Elizabeth Smith’s unique blend of rebel and caregiver equips her for her life’s passion: advocating for seniors. “If I was a nurse or doctor, I couldn’t be a rebel,” she says. “I would have to follow the rules. I’m good at being an advocate because I don’t stop until I get what the patient needs.” Smith, the owner of Elizabeth Smith Life and Health Insurance and a Bay Area community leader, has had a caregiving heart since childhood. She always rescued lost puppies and offered to help her grandmother’s older neighbors. “Seniors are my favorite,” Smith says. She spent years advocating for the elderly with insurance companies, hospitals and the government. However, they often sought help too late. Therefore, Smith decided to “retire” and buy out an insurance agency so she could help older clients plan for their golden years. That knack for planning impacts her personal life, too. In addition to her membership in The Society for Leading Medicine, Smith made a planned gift to Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital — the first gift of its kind to the hospital — because she wants to ensure her beloved seniors and others experience the hospital’s high-quality, compassionate care. A planned gift allows those like Smith to make significant charitable gifts as part of their estate plans. Her gift demonstrates how she anticipates needs before they arise. “I try to help seniors before they are in crisis,” Smith says. She educates seniors through her business, free seminars and community college classes. “Service above self is my Rotary motto and the way I’ve lived my life. I believe that to whom much is given, much is expected. I have been given much, so much is required of me.” Years ago, Smith was advocating for a disheveled, disoriented senior who had been abandoned. She took the person to the local Nassau Bay hospital, now known as Houston Methodist Clear Lake. Smith was impressed by the staff’s compassion and respect toward the elderly man. After that encounter, she formed a strong relationship with the hospital that continues now. “Dr. Marc Boom, president and CEO of Houston Methodist, sets the standard of care from the top,” Smith says. “At every Houston Methodist hospital, the staff treats patients as if they are their own relatives.” Smith chairs the Houston Methodist Clear Lake Patient-Family Advisory Council, is a member of the hospital’s Women’s Advisory Group, serves on the Transplant Task Force and has helped Houston Methodist navigate insurance-related challenges. Dan Newman, Houston Methodist Clear Lake CEO, values Smith’s contributions to the hospital and the community. “Community members like Elizabeth are the heartbeat of our region, and we are grateful for her support. It’s an honor to care for her and our community.” One of Smith’s clients recently stopped by her office and brought her a card that read, “I wish there were more people like you in the world.” “That card made me cry,” Smith recalls. “I’m not a hero. I feel God called me to help the vulnerable. I’m living out the Great Commandment: to love my neighbor as myself.”