On the night of Hurricane Helene ravaging her hometown, Katie witnessed unimaginable destruction—but she refused to stand by helplessly. When she saw a woman stranded in a tree for over ten hours, she strapped on a life jacket, grabbed a rope, and courageously saved her.
At LumaCleanCares, we are constantly inspired by stories of perseverance and innovation within the healthcare community. It’s often how we identify unmet gaps in patient care, and design innovative medical solutions.
One such story is Katie McMullen from Swannanoa, North Carolina. A Tubie and hurricane survivor, Katie’s town experienced a devastating 30-foot storm surge and late evacuation orders during Hurricane Helene in September, 2024.
Surrounded by destruction, Katie took action. She transformed her home into a supply depot, providing her neighbors with essential items such as food, water, toiletries, and over-the-counter medications. With an intimate understanding of how Tubies were affected during the aftermath, Katie also worked with her dietitian’s office Second Breakfast Nutrition to coordinate the delivery of donated supplies to those with feeding tubes.
Katie was recently recognized by USA Today as a 2025 women of the year honoree! You can learn more about that here, and keep reading for an inside look at Katie’s story in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
On the night of Hurricane Helene ravaging her hometown, Katie witnessed unimaginable destruction—but she refused to stand by helplessly. When she saw a woman stranded in a tree for over ten hours, she strapped on a life jacket, grabbed a rope, and courageously saved her.
The next morning, the roads were buried in mud and debris from shattered homes. Undeterred, she went in search of supplies to set up a makeshift supply depot in her front yard.
As a Tubie herself, Katie faced a personal challenge: her feeding tube was due to be changed, but her doctor’s office was closed due to the storm. Fortunately, her dietician, Annie Goldsmith at Second Breakfast Nutrition, was able to change her tube right on her office floor.
Even though she got the help she needed, she couldn’t help but worry about other isolated Tubies.
She took to social media, calling for medical supply donations to be sent to her dietitian’s office. LumaClean saw Katie’s cry for help on the Facebook Adults Feeding and Support Group.
At LumaCleanCares, we were honored to support Katie’s efforts by donating essential supplies, including our 30-Day EnClean® Brush for Enfit connectors, StomaEase™ Powder, and StomaDisc™ for stoma leakage. Recognizing the urgent need, we packed and personally delivered a box of supplies to Second Breakfast Nutrition, proud to play a part in Katie’s inspiring mission.
Katie’s supply depot became a beacon of hope, with nearly 20 tarps filled with clothes, hygiene products, food, and much more to help the community recover. She noted that some families return every day, saying she offered “comfort and some sort of normalcy.” The local police even stepped in to help escort supplies to her home for distribution.
Katie added: “All I want to do is help people, and now I can in one of the most vulnerable times of our lives. The word [about supplies] is spreading and I get new people and return people daily.”
Deeply moved by Katie’s efforts, our patient advocate, Maureen O’Gara, traveled to Second Breakfast Nutrition, several times, to meet her in person and donate more of our much-needed products for enteral nutrition management.
Katie started personally using the EnClean® Brush, StomaEase™ and StomaDisc™ after the storm, and was happy to share these products with fellow tubies. LumaClean also reached out to their friends, local community and asked for help which resulted in brand new household supplies and much needed nebulizers.
Katie is nothing short of a Tubie Hero. Despite the devastation around her, she worked tirelessly for those in need, even as she herself continued to survive through power outages and lack of water.
Not only is she distributing life-saving supplies, but she’s also using her own funds to make specialized stuffed animals for children with feeding tubes—down to the matching tubes and tape.
It all started when she saw a little girl on social media dealing with the struggles of life with a feeding tube. Katie reached out to her mother and asked if she was interested in a stuffed animal. But not just any animal. Katie designed a bunny with the exact same feeding tube, and wearing a cheer uniform. Now, every time the little girl gets her feeding tube changed, she takes the bunny with her.
Katie has found these animals to be very helpful for children, as both a comfort and to have a “little friend that looks like you.”
Thank you, Katie, for all you do for the Tubie community!
This story is a powerful reminder of what can happen when communities unite in times of crisis. It only takes one person to act, and others will follow, ready to help. It's not just about donations—it’s about heart, compassion, and a shared willingness to support those facing unimaginable challenges.
