DORCHESTER, MA— A duo of Milton teens are on a mission to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis, and recently visited Standish Village Assisted Living to drop off 25 care packages for residents in need. High school seniors Stephy Dai and Catalina Abboud founded ArthRelief with the goal of creating practical solutions for seniors navigating the condition, and aim to raise awareness and organize fundraisers in their local community. Through raffles and bake sales, Stephy and Catalina eventually earned over $1,000 to put toward filling care packages for Greater Boston seniors. Catalina even published her own children’s book, titled Daisy’s Quest: The Tale of the Strawberry Jam Dilemma, centered around educating children on arthritis and the importance of caring for their loved ones. One hundred percent of the book’s proceeds go toward ArthRelief.
The Standish Village residents were delighted to welcome Stephy and Catalina to the community last month, and the students began their visit with an educational presentation on the founding of ArthRelief. They then distributed care packages filled with pain-relieving items such as anti-inflammatory gel, heating pads, no-tie stretchy shoelaces, acupressure balls, and a heartfelt handwritten note wishing each senior well.
“ArthRelief is special to me because it’s deeply rooted in my personal experiences– seeing my loved ones struggle with arthritis inspired me to create an initiative that could make a tangible difference in their lives,” shares co-founder Catalina. “Through ArthRelief, I’ve learned the importance of solutions driven by empathy and how small efforts can have a meaningful impact on a community’s wellbeing.”