Tips for Being a Successful Caregiver

Love, friendship, experience, and empathy are the ingredients that inspire and fuel KickIt Pajamas. We believe struggle, style, and comfort can coexist. That women battling cancer can feel sick and pretty, vulnerable and fierce, scared and brave.

We're using World Blood Cancer Day, May 28th, to pay tribute to patients' caregivers. Every 25 seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with blood cancer like lymphoma or leukemia. Caregiving ranges from helping with day-to-day activities such as medication management to daily living tasks, like using the bathroom or bathing.

KickIt's Chief Design Officer, Anna Shuford, was a caregiver during her mother’s 4-year battle with acute myelogenous leukemia, and her father’s 2-year battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Anna intimately understands the importance of comfort and dignity in helping patients feel brave and determined in the face of fear and vulnerability.

Anna brings a tremendous amount of caregiver perspective to our products, stating, "a lot of my design ideas come from my time as a caregiver and desire to have given my mom comfort in any way possible". Anna wished there was a product with snap sleeves so she could have easily changed her mom's port site without having to disrupt her or cause more discomfort. Her mom's skin was so sensitive and she struggled to find soft, comfortable clothing that also allowed her to easily help her mom dress and undress, which is why KickIt is committed to having the softest material we can find.

All Caregivers Need Support

But you may feel your needs aren't important right now since you’re not the cancer patient. Or that there's no time left for yourself. You may be so used to taking care of someone else that it's hard for you to change focus. But caring for your own needs, hopes, and desires can give you the strength you need to carry on.

Make sure to take time to recharge so you can continue to be that important source of support for your loved one.