Unleash Your Inner Superhero
By Lisa Wells, Cure Medical
When thirty-four-year-old Robyn Rosenberger dusted off her old sewing machine back in 2013, she never anticipated it would help her stitch together a new mission for children who have complex medical conditions. By creating the Tiny Superheroes movement, Robyn unleashed her inner warrior to offer hope and joy to kids around the world who are fighting medical battles every day, and we hope you’ll join her on this journey too.
The Tiny Superheroes custom-order cape program exists to empower extraordinary kids as they overcome illness or disability! The goal of the program is to create a squad of love and support around a child who is fighting for their health and independence.
Tiny Stitches Hold a Giant Opportunity
Crafty by nature, Robyn decided one evening to make a gift for her nephew’s birthday that was fun and unique. One that he’d love wearing while his youthful imagination took flight—a tiny superhero cape.
Living in Seattle at the time, Robyn was then introduced to a little girl in Illinois who had been born with a severe skin disorder. Reading about the child’s medical struggles on Facebook, she says, "I was amazed at how her attitude focused on gratitude and joy, in the midst of something very, very hard."
Robyn knew she couldn’t erase the medical challenges that the little girl was facing, so she vowed to send comfort her way instead. "I sent her another hand-stitched cape, and that’s when the lightbulb went off. Creating tiny superhero capes for at-risk children became my passion," she adds.
American Express features Tiny Superheroes:
After sending the first official Tiny Superhero cape to the girl in Illinois, Robyn was fueled by a desire to help families and used social media to locate ten more children who were struggling with disability or illness.
"It became contagious for me. The more capes I created, the more capes I wanted to send to families who were hurting,” Robyn shares.
Over the last seven years, Tiny Superheroes has empowered more than 12,000 children across the world, from Australia to the United States and has been featured in leading publications like People Magazine, USA Today, The Seattle Times and Britain's The Daily Mail.
One Tiny Hero at a Time Creates a Global Impact
Robyn describes the process of awarding a Tiny Superhero cape as "the beginning of our journey."
"Our program kicks off with a cape being given as a gift to a medically-challenged child as we welcome them into our community. We are constantly amazed by the emotional and physical impact the cape actually has," Robyn explains.
For example, children who were previously scared of getting shots at the doctor’s office often have a newly-discovered sense of courage when they wear their cape to medical appointments.
Robyn knows that’s not the only universal power found within the colorful capes. "Our goal,” she says, "is to provide a journey that empowers the child and the people around them. Together, we can change the way the world sees disability."
Request a Cape for your Tiny Hero
Tiny Superheroes sends capes to people who are overcoming disability or illness. Anyone can nominate a child, but you can also give king-sized capes to a superhero you love, no matter what their age is!
"We have NCU-sized baby capes and big capes for 20-year-old superheroes,” Robyn says with a laugh. Tiny Superheroes ships to homes across the United States and internationally as well.
Interested in nominating someone to receive a Tiny Superhero cape? Click this link to get started!
Bringing Children Together with Tiny Patches
In a recent survey of their membership, Tiny Superheroes discovered that:
- 80% of their community does not participate in any form of extracurricular activity, but yet,
- 98% of respondents want to.
As a means of connecting children who may not be able to often play with friends in face-to-face events, Tiny Superheroes launched their “Patches Program” to bring their community together online.
In the Patches Program, participating children have a monthly opportunity to earn a new patch for their cape by completing an online activity that “unlocks” a new superpower. The Patches Program is free for every family and hosted completely online.
"This month, we are working on our 'Be Adventurous' patch and last month our patch focused on 'Gratitude',” Robyn explains. “We gave the kids a ‘gratitude’ scavenger hunt using things they have at their house that they can find on their own or with family. Once they complete the activity, they send a photo to us showing the activity completion and we mail them their next award patch."
Learn more about the Tiny Superheroes program at https://tinysuperheroes.com/.
Tiny Superheroes Appreciates Cure Medical’s Community Support
During a recent event for Spina Bifida families, Robyn was able to meet the Cure Medical team in person as she learned how this leading intermittent catheter manufacturer supports the disability community. Robyn especially appreciates the Cure Commitment—the charitable initiative that underpins Cure Medical’s mission of donating 10% of net income to medical research programs in pursuit of a cure for paralysis.
"Without awareness, there is no research and without research, there are no potential treatments or cures,” she says. “That’s why Cure Medical’s financial commitment to our community is so meaningful.”
"A lot of people don't understand the impact that charitable donations make on medical advancements, so when companies like Cure Medical step up, it is very significant,” she continues.
“With their ongoing programs and community support, Cure Medical also raises awareness in a significant way that one person can't always do. I think that if we all had a more giving-centered focus, like Cure Medical does, we would be in a better place as a community too."
Cure Medical was recognized a few years ago for helping fund a research breakthrough that restored nerve function that was previously lost in rodents with acute spinal cord injury. See the 2015 Journal of Neuroscience research highlights in the video below:
Receive a Cure Educational Backpack for your Superhero
Parents often arrive at the Abilities Expo looking for resources and services that can help their child who has a disability or special needs. That's why we are so excited to share a free, new resource from Cure Medical designed especially for children by pediatric nurses!
The Cure Medical Pediatric Education program is meant for parents who can use it to teach their children "How To Self-Cath." It includes fun instruction tools and health aids like:
- Backpacks in blue and pink with no logos—for discretion to carry your child's medical supplies at school or away from home
- Flash cards for boys and girls that also include steps for cathing with or without stomas
- Coloring books with crayons
- A complimentary toy (flying monkeys for boys and bows for girls) — and more!
Click here to request your free backpack with educational materials to help your child learn the steps for self-cathing.
Attend the upcoming Los Angeles Abilities Expo to request an educational backpack or pediatric catheter samples from Cure Medical! Visit these intermittent catheter experts in booth #447.
Pre-Register for Abilities Expo Today...It's Free!