Getting Help
Are you thinking of hurting yourself or others?
Call 9-1-1 or ask an adult to call for you to get emergency help. It can be scary, but the most important thing is for you to be safe. When you call 9-1-1, ask the operator to send Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) officers if possible.
Is there an adult you trust you can talk to?
If you think you might have an eating disorder, be struggling with disordered eating, or have questions about eating, you can talk to an adult you trust using the following script.
Not sure who to speak to, but know you need help?
Call or text Buya staff member Lindsay at 920-422-1746. You can expect a response within 24 hours. If you need immediate help, please call 9-1-1.
Do I need to call 9-1-1?
Eating disorders are serious and can lead to medical complications. Before anything else, it’s important to make sure you’re safe. If you are thinking of hurting yourself or someone else, then you should call 9-1-1.
What will happen if I call 9-1-1?
Crisis Intervention officers, medical first responders, or others may arrive. They will help you decide the best next steps. If you decide that you need to go to the ER, first responders will have your loved ones drive you, arrange for an ambulance, or drive you themselves depending on your comfort. 

At the ER, you will likely have a physical and mental health assessment. You will receive medical care and monitoring to ensure you are physically healthy. People with eating disorders frequently experience medical side effects that require tests and monitoring. You will also make a plan for addressing your eating disorder. This may feel extreme, but it is normal.
What will happen after?
Once you’re out of crisis, you should connect with medical and mental health providers to come up with a treatment plan. This looks different for everybody but might include temporarily moving into a treatment facility, attending a program for a couple hours a week, or seeing a therapist at their office once or twice a week.
Ask for help
If you think you might have an eating disorder, be struggling with disordered eating, or just have questions about eating, you can talk to a trusted adult using the following script.
What if that doesn't work?
Sometimes, even the people you love the most don’t respond the way you hoped they would when you share something personal. Usually, this is because they are surprised or scared. Just remember that if you think there is something going on, it’s important to trust your gut and insist on speaking with a mental health professional. Advocate for yourself. You deserve help!
Thank you!

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Our Story

Over breakfast in August 2020, our thirteen-year-old daughter, Mia, suddenly told us that she needed help. After several frantic, disorienting weeks trying to get help for her, she finally had an EKG. Two hours later, we were on our way to the children’s hospital for her severe cardiac symptoms.

Mia has Anorexia Nervosa. She spent the next seven harrowing days in emergency care with a feeding tube and round-the-clock observation. She’s received therapy over the last two years, and by September of 2022, while she was doing better, she continued to face challenges related to her eating disorder.

Looking back at the past few years, we cannot believe that our daughter starved herself in front of our eyes and that we did not realize that she needed help until it became a crisis. We have no words to describe how much pain and suffering this caused her. At the same time, we are amazed everyday by her resilience and determination to overcome her eating disorder.

With Mia’s help we—her parents and her middle school cross country coach—founded Buya as a non profit with the mission to help other young people identify mental health concerns and get the right help faster through the support of an interactive, inclusive, and supportive community.

We sTaRTed BUya As a nON pRofIT BEcaUSe We bELieVe tHat noBOdY shOUld hAVe To fAcE An EAtiNg DisOrder AlONe.

Our Mission

To build a safe and inviting community* where anyone can join and feel supported.

To be a force for good* by challenging harmful beliefs and providing alternative ways of thinking and acting.

To be brave in our conversations to begin a change where it’s safe to speak up to our peers, coaches, parents.

Nicolas Martens

(he/him)

Nic, Mia’s dad, founded Buya with a drive to change the narrative as he and his family continue their own journey with Mia’s eating disorder.


Prior to founding Buya, Nic served as Vice President International R&E at Kimberly-Clark Corporation. In this role he led the research and engineering for a $9 billion global business that included brands such as Huggies, GoodNights Kotex, Poise, Depend, Scott, and Cottonelle. Nic started his career in Research and Development with Johnson & Johnson where he held several key leadership positions during his 12 year tenure. He served as WW Director of Product Development at the Neutrogena Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company. During his tenure with J&J, Nic has gained extensive experience in skin care R&D, new product development, market research and concept testing.  He is the inventor of numerous worldwide patents  for personal care products.  Nic earned his Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge (UK) and his Degree in Biotechnology at the University of Munich.  Nic is a lifelong enthusiast of several action sports including surfing, snowboarding, and triathlons.

Lindsay Turchan

(she/her)

Lindsay Turchan-Meeks, Mia’s middle school cross country coach, started Buya as a mentor and community member with a passion for advocating for young athletes with eating disorders.

Lindsay has been an athlete for almost all of her life. In addition to playing competitive soccer from a young age, she started competing in middle school cross country. She continued running cross country and track in high school and all the way through college. Today, she runs for fun and especially loves trail running and marathons. Lindsay’s academic and professional background are in coaching, clinical mental health, history, and real estate. Currently, Lindsay works in real estate and also coaches cross country and track in Neenah, Wisconsin. Inspired by watching her many teammates and friends fiercely navigate through the complexities of eating disorders, and after her own struggle with disordered eating, Lindsay is excited to be part of the buya team as she firmly believes in the importance of community in eating disorder recovery and the possibility of living in a world where all people can find joy in movement. Lindsay lives with her wife and two dogs and enjoys restoring her old home to her historic glory, quilting, gardening, and spending time with family.

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