Nell Pritchard (left) and Martel Catalano. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS – “We know how stressful it is to live with something you feel you have no control over,” says Martel Catalano, one of two city residents who recently started a nonprofit to help provide emotional support and educational resources for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
Catalano and Nell Pritchard, both of whom live with rare, incurable diseases, together launched the nonprofit Beyond My Battle.
What started out as an online support group focusing on positivity and diversity has evolved into an organization with big plans. The founders have perceived the need to focus on more than a particular disease or disability.
“We believe there is actually a lot still within our control,” says Catalano. “It’s how we respond to our situation. So we’re focusing on a more positive, mindful approach that looks to reducing stress, building resilience and cultivating mind-body wellbeing.”
According to Pritchard, “it can be difficult to understand the emotions of—and therefore support—a loved one who’s living with a chronic disease or disability.”
Beyond My Battle provides support and resources for people with medical conditions as well as their families, friends and caretakers.
The group’s resources will be accessible to anyone, anywhere through the online platform www.beyondmybattle.org.
While Beyond My Battle is serving this important population virtually, the nonprofit’s roots will remain in Saratoga Springs, where Catalano and Pritchard both live.
“We plan to do local workshops on regulating stress as the individual with a disease or disability, and also for their family members,” says Catalano. “As we embark on our mission, we’re poised to start locally.”
In April, Beyond My Battle launched a crowd-funding campaign online where they share a short video and a proposal of their projects: https://igg.me/at/beyondmybattle.
The campaign video also can be viewed by following the link on the Beyond My Battle homepage.
All donations are tax-deductible and will go directly to creating resources like toolkits and eBooks that will be accessible and available to the public.
