Dear Friends,
I founded Marymac Missions LLC after a significant life experience changed my priorities. I journeyed for two years as an unpaid family caregiver to my mom, who in her 60’s was diagnosed with a little known neurodegenerative disease that quickly disabled her cognitively, emotionally and physically. The extended illness experience was completely unpredictable and disorienting, and I sustained several losses throughout the two years that left me in a state of personal devastation at the end. As mom’s life slowly became less functional in every way, so did mine.
I lost a steady job and associated income, a stable home life, a personal routine, personal goals, friendships, professional connections, aspects of my personal health and wellness; my wedding plans with my significant other were put on hold due to the unhappy situation and our relationship became one of “crisis management”; my ability to connect with family and friends became limited to the extent that I felt very much alone and unsupported throughout the experience. All of this occurred while I regularly practiced brief self-care respites demanded by my limited body awareness which consisted of repeating the mantra, “Rest…. Stop…. Breathe….” and taking frequent walks outdoors.
After the extended illness experience, and a year of recovery, I knew I could not go back to my former career designing solutions for large companies. I understood that the experience that I had with my mom was not unique in the world of extended illnesses: caregivers, families, friendships and communities around the world are experiencing many of the same deleterious effects. marymac missions is my answer to taking some first steps towards: making meaning of the extended illness experience for myself; being a compassionate and empowering presence to caregivers who find themselves alone in “the woods,” “the storm,” “the desert,” “winter…”; teaching sustainable life skills to caregivers at risk for significant health problems; teaching meaningful connections between caregivers and receivers, caregivers and significant others, caregivers and community; providing community organizations with a profile of caregivers and receivers who might be candidates for outreach and services; providing employers with wellness programs and resources that deliver stress-reduction strategies and resources and advocating for their provision of flexible work schedules and time off when employees need to file for leave due to family illness.
Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary
Meet Mary E. MacDonald
Mary E. MacDonald, M.A., founder of Marymac Missions LLC, has worked towards improved life quality for children, adults and community groups for over fifteen years. Her early career roles nationally and internationally included working with emotionally, behaviorally and physically challenged children, at-risk youth, the mentally ill, and intensive care patients and their family members. An eight year user experience design career coupled with a two year journey with a loved one through terminal illness inspired her to create services and resources that support life quality for people experiencing life transitions, illness and disability, grief and loss, recovery and renewal.
Mary is a graduate of the Leadership for Change executive training program at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. She completed Yoga Teacher, Chair Yoga, Yoga Dance and Restorative Yoga teacher certifications at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Mary holds a M.A. degree in Pastoral Ministry from Boston College. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. degree in Psychology and German from the University of Rochester.
An open letter to caregivers everywhere …
I founded Marymac Missions LLC after a significant life experience changed my priorities. I journeyed for two years as an unpaid family caregiver to my mom, who in her 60’s was diagnosed with a little known neurodegenerative disease that quickly disabled her cognitively, emotionally and physically. The extended illness experience was completely unpredictable and disorienting, and I sustained several losses throughout the two years that left me in a state of personal devastation at the end. As mom’s life slowly became less functional in every way, so did mine.
I lost a steady job and associated income, a stable home life, a personal routine, personal goals, friendships, professional connections, aspects of my personal health and wellness; my wedding plans with my significant other were put on hold due to the unhappy situation and our relationship became one of “crisis management”; my ability to connect with family and friends became limited to the extent that I felt very much alone and unsupported throughout the experience. All of this occurred while I regularly practiced brief self-care respites demanded by my limited body awareness which consisted of repeating the mantra, “Rest…. Stop…. Breathe….” and taking frequent walks outdoors.
After the extended illness experience, and a year of recovery, I knew I could not go back to my former career designing solutions for large companies. I understood that the experience that I had with my mom was not unique in the world of extended illnesses: caregivers, families, friendships and communities around the world are experiencing many of the same deleterious effects. marymac missions is my answer to taking some first steps towards: making meaning of the extended illness experience for myself; being a compassionate and empowering presence to caregivers who find themselves alone in “the woods,” “the storm,” “the desert,” “winter…”; teaching sustainable life skills to caregivers at risk for significant health problems; teaching meaningful connections between caregivers and receivers, caregivers and significant others, caregivers and community; providing community organizations with a profile of caregivers and receivers who might be candidates for outreach and services; providing employers with wellness programs and resources that deliver stress-reduction strategies and resources and advocating for their provision of flexible work schedules and time off when employees need to file for leave due to family illness.
Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary
Meet Mary E. MacDonald
Mary E. MacDonald, M.A., founder of Marymac Missions LLC, has worked towards improved life quality for children, adults and community groups for over fifteen years. Her early career roles nationally and internationally included working with emotionally, behaviorally and physically challenged children, at-risk youth, the mentally ill, and intensive care patients and their family members. An eight year user experience design career coupled with a two year journey with a loved one through terminal illness inspired her to create services and resources that support life quality for people experiencing life transitions, illness and disability, grief and loss, recovery and renewal.
Mary is a graduate of the Leadership for Change executive training program at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. She completed Yoga Teacher, Chair Yoga, Yoga Dance and Restorative Yoga teacher certifications at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Mary holds a M.A. degree in Pastoral Ministry from Boston College. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. degree in Psychology and German from the University of Rochester.