We affectionately refer to it as “Pinkie”. This is the story of its birth:
During the month of September the three owners and marketing staff of MasterCare Patient Equipment, Inc. were brainstorming different ways to make our booth at the mid-October “Leading Age” conference in Washington D.C be more than just a “display” for our products. We're a company of ‘caring' – it is after all our last name -- MasterCare. How can we illustrate caring as well as the function of our bathing products?
A few months before, one of the owners had offered that his wife, due to her mother's experience with breast cancer, suggested that we should build a pink bathing system in recognition of breast cancer awareness. This was brought up at our brainstorming session and further supported by the fact that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. What better way to support awareness than with a 6-foot-long tub in Pink Ribbon pink! Then a staff member chimed in, “Let's not only build the pink tub, let's give it away!” And there you have it, the birth of “Pinkie.”
Our focus group collectively agreed that as a means to maximize the impact and value of this event, we would secure pledges from management and nursing staff involved in elder care throughout the U.S. to promote awareness of breast cancer within their facilities and local communities. We wanted to reach not only those in DC, but a national audience. We had to act fast! So we spent the next month in our Marketing Department getting the word out via all the means available to us. We read so many stories filled with creative ideas, not to mention courage, support and strength.
A nursing home located in Gwynedd, PA, called Foulkeways at Gwynedd, was selected as the winner of Pinkie. Mary Knapp, Director of Health Services, shared with us one of her staff, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, was an added incentive. Mary told us that the staff member has "is showing us real strength."
At MasterCare are very pleased with the results of our efforts in getting the breast cancer awareness message out to what is conservatively estimated to be thousands of individuals during the month of October. “Caring” is evident throughout the country!
Arrangements are currently underway to ship to “Pinkie” to Foulkeways at Gwynedd. They are very excited to get it and have already picked out location and theme for the spa room in which the tub will be installed. This barrier-free bathing system called the Entrée Bath is sure to be a permanent reminder of the importance of breast cancer awareness. It will also provide soothing bathing and relaxation to those who use it.
Jim Novotne, along with Stephen Hollis and Bryan Johnson, is an owner of MasterCare Patient Equipment, which is headquartered in Columbus, NE.