After 30 years of being paralyzed, Jan Nicholson offers others like him free assistance through fledgling non-profit, Disability New Beginning Not End.

Founded in January, Disability New Beginning Not End is a New Iberia-based non-profit organization that offers a variety of resources to disabled people. These include information resources on everything from wound care to managing bowel movements and physical resources like a room run by voice commands.

Nicholson, the organization’s founder and quadriplegic, said the organization serve several different purposes. These purposes include providing access to equipment, help with accessing agencies, rehabilitation and developing quality of life improvements.

They offer patients, caretakers and families a chance to test different pieces of disability-assistance equipment before buying them.

“We have a plethora of different equipment designed to assist people with disabilities. These range from mobility, incontinence, and rail systems to fully voice-activated home commands,” Nicholson said. “Nurses find this access helpful with their disabled patients, especially the newly injured.”

Offering disabled individuals assistance in handling potentially confusing forms and processes is an important part of the organization.

“Many times, a newly injured individual has no idea how to navigate the agencies and forms with the state and federal bureaucracies,” Nicholson said. “So many times, the individual will be denied, and it takes people like us to jump through all the hoops with the medical community and agencies to finally get approval.

Concerning rehabilitation, the organization guides patients to and through the appropriate path for them. Nicholson said this is often where families often struggle.

“As important as rehabilitation is to a disabled individual there are literally dozens of roads to go down,” he said. “We offer past experiences and usually can help unlock doors and make sure the right path is taken. This is where families really want to help but have no idea what is available.”

Organization members have experience in handling disabilities, which, according to Jan Nicholson, informs their consultation with disabled individuals.

“After 30 years of handling quadriplegia, we know what only works in theory and what really works. There is no manual for disabled people,” he said. “We enjoy working with the individual, caregiver, family, and nurses to make sure the individual obtains the best quality of life available.”

Blake Nicholson, Jan Nicholson’s son and caretaker for over 20 years, volunteers with Disability New Beginning Not End and works alongside his father to execute ideas for the non-profit organization.

“He (Jan) is sort of like the brain behind the operation, and I am sort of the hands. He comes up with ideas and I work on implementing those ideas,” Blake Nicholson said.

According to the Disability New Beginnings Not End website, members of the organization hope to grow it into a national non-profit akin to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Jan Nicholson said that the non-profit’s main activity has been in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and East Texas. He continued, “We would have no problem helping with expanding to offices around the United States.”

A critical part of expansion and growth is funding. The organization secured funds from several contributors from around the state. These include a few disclosed and anonymous donations.

Although private funding is sufficient at this time, according to Jan Nicholson, the nonprofit will seek federal and state government funding soon.

We want grants, but at this time of year the foundations and businesses are trying to meet the end of the year tax deadline. We will be addressing State and Federal grants more after the first full year,” he said.

Jan Nicholson emphasized the importance of outreach in expanding the operation. “We need to get our non-profit organization in front of more disabled individuals, rehabilitation facilities, caretakers and the medical community,” he said. “We measure our success not in dollars but in lives helped.”

According to Blake Nicholson, the internet and social media play a key role in the outreach the organization seeks.

“We are prepared to help through an interactive website, social media, in-person discussions, telephone referrals, and any other means necessary,” Blake Nicholson said. “With today’s internet, we can help individuals from all around the world.”

Previously, Jan Nicholson owned and managed a medical supply company, which he said offered him insight into Medicaid, Medicare and government regulations.

In 2021, Jan Nicholson lost vision in his left eye following a cataract surgery. He said he won’t let it hold him down, and only added to the experience he can give to others.

“I am still adjusting to this new disability, but I am sure my experiences will only add to my knowledge of helping others,” Jan Nicholson said. “I jumped at the opportunity to get back involved with the handicap community in a helpful manner. I eagerly look forward to once again benefiting people with their difficulties.”

To learn more about Disability New Beginning not End, or to seek assistance, visit their website (disabilitynewbeginning.com) and submit an information request.