Hi Everyone. Today I wanted to take a moment to talk about a really exciting development with EmBraced In Comfort. For years now, I’ve been privileged to be able to help patients who are uncomfortable in their Scoliosis Braces to become more compliant in their braces through comfortable and functional undergarments. It’s been a pleasure and the rewards are plentiful. However, I’ve been inspired to do MORE for a long time now…I just was not sure what to do, until recently. Over the past year, I’ve developed two fitness-related products that I feel meet a need that has not been adequately addressed. So, I decided to launch a new line of fitness products for the non-brace-wearing population (as well as the brace-wearing population) 🙂 We plan to use this fitness line to help support small non-profits that are founded by parents searching for solutions for their children’s medical issues. I have always felt that, while the challenges involved in Scoliosis are neither trivial nor minimal, I am blessed that we don’t have any more serious, fatal illness to deal with. I have a real heart for parents trying to struggle daily to literally fight for their children’s lives. So, we plan to begin this process with the introduction of two new fitness products. First, we are introducing our “Protective Shoe Covers”, which cover and protect mesh running shoes from the wind, rain, and snow. Secondly, our unique “Fitness Belts”, which provide a stable, wraparound pouch, with pockets for phones, keys, tissue, water bottle, or a number of items. Ten percent of the retail sale price for these items will go to support our first non-profit, the “Save Our Boy Foundation”. The “Save Our Boy Foundation” was formed by a former high school classmate of mine and his wife, to raise funds to find a cure for Deuchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Deuchenne MD is a debilitating illness that affects 1 in 3,500 boys. It is 100 percent fatal, with most afflicted boys not living past the age of 20. Imagine that – facing a giant that is slowly pummeling your little boy, while time is quickly running out. That is a desperation I am grateful not to face and I hope that we can provide a tiny bit of support toward helping them meet a lofty goal. I wrote about this organization in November of 2009 “Looking Outside Ourselves”, and I want to sum up this article with a story that I mentioned in that post. I remember when Heinrich (the classmate mentioned above, whose son is afflicted with Deuchenne MD) was sitting near me in class one day and I got a paper cut. I said, in my teenage whiney girl voice, “Ouch – why is it that something so small hurts more than ANYTHING!?” Heinrich just laughed and said, “Well, I think you’d feel differently if you had a big bullet hole in your chest.” Amen to that. Scoliosis is definitely serious and I say again and again that I do not minimize it (both my kids have it, after all!). However, I thank God every day when I look at my little boy, because if I had to choose Scoliosis over Deuchenne MD, I know what I would pick – it would not be the bullet hole! If you’d like to make a direct tax deductible donation to the Save Our Boy Foundation, you can go to their website at: www.saveourboy.org. You can purchase the shoe covers and fitness belts at: http://embracedinco660.corecommerce.com/Solutions-for-Everybody-c5/. Enter coupon code “Half Off Shipping” for $5 shipping (US and Canada only, First Class mail, fitness products must be purchased with order).
