July Sneak Peek #5

I am very excited to share this next collection with you. This July, we will be releasing "Road To Recovery," an elegant, beautiful, and poignant collection designed for people fighting long-term illnesses. Take a look, we'll talk more after you see what I'm talking about.

I can't tell you how much this collection and these designs mean to me. Let me break it down for you and explain where the idea emerged from.

A few years ago, my life-long friend's daughter was diagnosed with liver cancer. She was 3 years old. My friend, after listening to the doctors' advice to help her daughter cope, called me up and asked me to create something for her that her 3 year old child could use as a way to communicate how she was feeling, to help her have some small sense of control in a situation that was too big for her to understand, and to help my friend communicate with the team of doctors who were treating her. I put together a blank calendar that had lots of elements with it that would give a simple representation of how her little patient was feeling. Each day, her daughter would choose a sticker that looked like what she was feeling, and she'd put it on the calendar. This simple, basic small thing turned out to be most helpful. My friend would take it in to the doctor visits, and they could clearly see patterns of how she was feeling in the days surrounding different treatments. (I'm happy to tell you, that little girl is going to be a FIRST grader this fall, and is in complete remission, with no sign of cancer anywhere!)

Fast forward a few years, and a family member of my brother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. The family needed some sort of book/journal to keep track of doctor recommendations, appointments, and communication between family members who came to visit and assist with the recovery. Although a utilitarian notebook and folder would accomplish the task, they asked me to create something for them to use, thinking it would be more pleasant to their loved one they were encouraging to journal her thoughts and experiences. (Again, happy to report that she is doing very well, and has amazing spirit as she finishes her treatments, having been told that the cancer is in remission!)

There is actually quite a bit of research that discusses the health benefits of journaling your honest emotions and thoughts while you recover. Here are a couple of links we found that you might find helpful too:

Finding Comfort Through Journaling

Journaling Helps Cancer Patients

Journaling for the Cancer Patient

Journaling Saves

We thought it was time to create a beautiful line that focused on healing, but that encouraged the writer to be honest about what they were really going through.

The designs of this collection are versatile. Not only can a patient document their recovery, but it can also be used for get well, thinking of you, and sympathy cards, as well as create lovely layouts on just about any topic.

There you have it. The personal story of how Road To Recovery came to be. I'd love to hear your reactions to it. Please feel free to share your story with us.

I'll be back on Monday to share another sneak peek with you! Check back then!

 

Comments

[Debra New, Ph.D.]

As a psychologist, I often use scrapbooking in therapy. The colors in this collection are so calming.

[Jodee]

This is fantastic! Thank you! Congrats on being the first to do something that is very much needed!

[Diane Standish]

wonderful idea-thank you so much

[Rhonda V.]

This is such a long overdue collection and it's fabulous!!! Thank you for being so thoughtful to create this! Love every bit of it!!!

[Jennifer Grace]

What a great collection. I'm glad your stories had happy endings, sadly my granny died of liver cancer this spring, I miss her lots. She would have loved this collection as turquoise was her favourite colour. x

[Rebecca]

It's beautiful and the industry NEEDS a line like this!

[Andrea Winbigler]

Love the colors!