My name is Martine Dardignac, and I was born and raised in New York. My parents are from Haiti, and I grew up in a community with quite a large Haitian population. As a child of immigrants, I learned to work hard, and in some ways that pain is just a part of life and who I am. I suffer from several chronic illnesses including rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic migraines but it took me a really long time to admit that I had chronic illness and to figure out the right ways to seek help.
There are several factors that caused me to deny my pain for many years in addition to my cultural background: I’m black, I’m a woman, and I’m overweight. Going to the doctor was an exercise in futility. Most doctors were quick to pin all my issues on my weight. When
they bothered to do any testing, they looked for generic causes (like diabetes) and when they didn’t find anything, they would just tell me I was fine and to lose weight.
I felt dismissed and it caused me to suffer through the pain rather than have to go back to the doctors just for them to tell me I was fine. Finally, I started doing my own research and learned how to find doctors who would listen to me, treat me as an individual, and how to advocate for myself. I still live with a lot of pain and other chronic issues, but I am better now that I have a team that is actively trying to help me manage it.
Since pain and chronic illness have been part of my life it seems like forever, I had to factor them in when deciding to start a business. The corporate world isn’t really designed for those with chronic ailments, and I was looking for a eventual way out of the rat race. I’m the owner of The Capable Bride, a wedding planning and catering company located in Westchester, New York. As a small business owner, I’ve had to learn methods to deal with my ailments to minimize impact to my business and my clients. Fortunately, some of this came easy to me! I’m a certified project manager and a certified wedding professional, and my love of organization, data, and process improvement has helped me immensely in managing my business and my life. When I have an event, I remember to schedule a day off before and after to avoid tiring myself out, and I always have an assistant.
I’m known for being a chronic giggler, dedicated bibliophile, self-professed nerd, and
believe that food should always taste good. At my core, I’m a helper and am always looking to make things easier for myself and others. My mother found great pleasure in showing hospitality to many and loved to feed others and having learned this love from her, I take great joy in sharing my culture and culinary skills with friends, coworkers, and even perfect strangers.