Noora Elkoussy

North Hollywood, CA

“I call myself a nutritionist, an artist, and a disaster relief professional—and I have my brain tumor to thank for the first two.”

Born in San Francisco and raised in a creative family, Noora Elkoussy’s Egyptian heritage inspired a lifelong love of culture, creativity, and global connection. She has traveled to 27 countries across five continents while building a career in international disaster relief. Her humanitarian work with International Medical Corps, Operation USA, and Heartland Alliance International took her to Kosovo, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and the U.S., supporting displaced and vulnerable populations—including Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

While working abroad, Noora began experiencing vision problems. She was eventually diagnosed with a brain tumor located in her optic nerve at the center of her brain. Removing it would have caused complete blindness. She returned to the U.S. for surgery, but the tumor had to be left in place to preserve her remaining vision.

Recovery proved slow and life-altering. Though she hadn’t lost her job, she was never well enough to return to the intense demands of emergency fieldwork. Chronic migraines, visual impairment, hemorrhaging, and debilitating fatigue left her unable to maintain employment. Despite her condition, Noora was repeatedly denied disability benefits—a frustrating and disheartening experience.

“When my career was sidelined and I spent years recovering in bed, art became a way to stay mentally alive, emotionally grounded, and economically hopeful.”

Noora turned to art as both therapy and purpose. Today, she is a working artist and a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education (MSNE). Her health struggles—and her background in global public health—naturally led her to the field of nutrition. It offered answers that doctors often couldn’t, and became a logical, empowering extension of her previous work in health and humanitarian settings.

Her creativity flows through many forms: painting, photography, jewelry-making, crafting, and culinary arts. Her art is inspired by nature, color, dreams, mood, pain, the eyes, smiles, and innocence of children. While she gravitates toward Abstract Expressionism and Surrealism, she frequently steps outside her comfort zone, always exploring and evolving.

Photography remains a profound creative outlet. She captured evocative images of her surroundings during her travels, focusing on the culture and natural beauty before her. Her photography has been widely sold, including two pieces exhibited and purchased at a gallery in Laguna Beach in 2018. Her work has appeared in three galleries—one of which she founded—and in countless art shows and exhibitions. She also curated a separate show for an international artist at a fourth gallery.

Though her tumor changed the course of her life, it did not diminish her drive to create, contribute, and heal. Whether through brushstrokes or photographs, Noora embraces art and nutrition alike as tools for transformation. Her journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and beauty born from adversity.

“Illness and disability are not the end of the world—they’re an invitation to begin again.”