Infusing freedom in the lives of others – this is my passion, and it comes from very real circumstances.
My story begins with my dad, “Poppy." My dad was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Along with his diagnosis, he came home with a new accessory that added to the newfound stress of his life: a carrier pouch. It is really is a glorified fanny pack, bearing the ambulatory infusion pump, which is so crucial to his chemotherapy. While the fanny pack was a necessity to insure that he was getting his proper treatment, it was limiting mobility and comfort in my father’s day-to-day life. The fanny pack and the tubes got tangled up in car doors, sinks, desks, chairs – not to mention the fact that the simple use of the restroom became a challenge in itself. How affected should someone have to be when depending on such a medical accessory? A diagnosis can be life shattering all on its own. Pairing that with the daily fear of the life-saving contraption tangling itself up with normal life, sadly puts life with a medical condition at a whole new level of complication.Witnessing my father try to fumble around with this inevitably led me to problem solve. This fanny pack couldn’t be the only solution, could it? This medical, status-quo of a device, had to have an alternative – a better solution. The PoppyPocket was the idea that flowered in my head. I thought that I could provide my dad with a more resourceful accessory to assist with his treatment. I wanted to instill a sense of assurance and confidence in his everyday living while maintaining his privacy. I wanted the pump to feel secure to the body in a comfortable way while avoiding any entanglement, pulling, or damage. Surprisingly, the nurses, doctors, and other patients, including my father, loved the design! This set me to thinking about mass-manufacturing – to provide everyone with the chance to have a PoppyPocket, and to rid the unnecessary complications that an ambulatory pump can bring into a person’s life.
Turning Tragedy into Triumph
This newfound career is one where making a difference with each day has become as vital as breathing. So, what exactly is a PoppyPocket? My company, as well as my product, was inspired by a man that lived a life imbued with a spirit and is a reflection of just that. I created this new transport system to provide an alternative for those who are undergoing infusion treatments or medical monitoring of any kind, in order to enable them to continue living with confidence and freedom. Its under-the-clothing design offers privacy, comfort, and security, as well as decreasing the fear of a medical device limiting day-to-day mobility. I truly hope that anyone who decides to utilize PoppyPocket can enjoy the simplest – and essential – pleasures of life: engaging in physical activities you love, accomplishing daily activities, and having a sound night’s sleep.Empowering the user to live boldly.
This blog will be a compilation of my adventures through PoppyPocket as well as a way to share my passion of restoring a sense of individuality and freedom to a person’s life that is somehow affected by illness. To follow along with my passions, adventures, thoughts – and more!—stick around on PoppyPocket’s blog. Live boldly, Julie P.S. PoppyPocket is also on the web, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Follow us there!