By Ian Miller
This week’s article is about the Shadow Buddies Foundation! A partner of Missouri hockey team KC Mavericks (which you’ll be hearing about soon!), Shadow Buddies creates special dolls for children going through what can be a scary time in the hospital, with each doll sharing the child’s medical condition. As Shadow Buddies puts it, each Buddy is “just like me.”
Marty Postlethwait, creator of Shadow Buddies, saw the need to make time in the hospital seem more pleasant. As the mother of a child with multiple congenital (meaning since birth) health issues, her family has had spent much time in the hospital, so, to make her son’s time easier, she created a plush, comforting “Buddy” to keep him company.
She writes: “I can personally speak to the importance of emotional well-being during the healing process. My son Miles who is now 37, has undergone more than 50 surgeries, and together, we have spent countless nights in the hospital. I can attest that hope is a powerful antidote during uncertain and life challenging times. It’s essential to promote hope when dealing with fear and uncertainty that is brought on during major life changes at any age.”
As Marty notes, Buddies aren’t just for children; Shadow Buddies also creates special “senior” Buddies for seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease, so they can take care of someone and keep their minds active by doing so. And, of course, any Buddy is available
to purchase for “anyBuddy” who needs one, regardless of age! “A Buddy Just Like Me” is the company’s slogan for a reason.
Each Buddy is created for a specific purpose and has different “medical conditions,” such as needing an ostomy (a medical procedure where part of the intestines are surgically disconnected from a part that is not functioning correctly and reconnected to an artificial opening, called a stoma, in the abdomen to dispose of waste. A condition requiring this procedure is cancer involving the intestinal tract, for example). The Ostomy Buddy has a detailed fabric stoma in their abdomen and also has a removable ostomy bag, so the child can practice replacing it before and after their own procedure. It’s also a very instructive aid for parents.
Your Buddy needs something to wear to the hospital and wherever else you choose to take them, of course, so Shadow Buddies sells Buddy-sized clothing items for both male and female Buddies! Every Buddy is a hero, so get your Buddy a cape to show off their
(and your) heroic spirit, too!
Shadow Buddies has sold over 2.2 million Buddies worldwide, in 19 countries and all 50 U.S. states! That’s over two million children (and adults) who now find the hospital a less scary place. Medical care doesn’t need to be a frightening experience and having a Buddy with them can help anxious children (and adults) stay calm and make the hospital process go smoothly.
Partnerships like these are vitally important to creating a strong community of like-minded people; The Golden Scoop is incredibly grateful to Shadow Buddies for their mission of helping children, just like we serve uniquely abled adults, and we hope to keep that relationship going strong for years to come!
Tune in next week for a look at the Special Olympics!
- SHADOW BUDDIES. (n.d.) Shadow Buddies. https://www.shadowbuddies.org/
- Our history — SHADOW BUDDIES. (n.d.). SHADOW BUDDIES. https://www.shadowbuddies.org/
about-us/our-history - Meet the buddies — SHADOW BUDDIES. (n.d.). SHADOW BUDDIES. https://www.shadowbuddies.org/
meet-the-buddies-2 - Accessories — SHOP OUR BUDDIES — SHADOW BUDDIES. (n.d.). SHADOW BUDDIES. https://www.shadowbuddies.org/
buddies/accessories - Our reach — SHADOW BUDDIES. (n.d.). SHADOW BUDDIES. https://www.shadowbuddies.org/
the-people-we-meet-places-we- go
Find the Golden Scoop at these locations:
9540 Nall Avenue
Overland Park, Kansas 66207
913-284-804410460 W 103rd Street
Overland Park, Kansas 66214
913-232-9639Hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday-Saturday: 8am-7pm
Sunday @103rd: 9am-5pm
Sunday @ 95th: 1pm-5pm
