Sarah Syvertsen of Arbor Heights e-mailed WSB to share the news about her brand-new business, Rylee’s Pocket. She and her aunt are “making tank tops for kids and adults with type 1 diabetes that have a special pocket to hold their insulin pumps. … We just … in the past week have started a partnership with the American Diabetes Association.”
Rylee, the shirt’s namesake, is Sarah’s 8-year-old cousin. She was diagnosed in March of 2011. Since then, Rylee’s mom writes:
Almost a year later to the date, Rylee started using the pump, which has been a suprisingly smooth transition for all of us. With all the things going on with her body, the most important thing to me was that she felt comfortable and confident. She has become so courageous and we can’t help but notice the amount of overwhelming support from family, friends, and most especially her two older sisters.
Obviously with having two older sisters, fashion has become a big deal to Rylee. At this crucial time in her life finding a way for her to fit in not only at school but also with her sisters was a semi big priority. We mulled over some ideas together and have come to find out that a tight fitting cami tank top with a button hole and a pocket with a zipper is the best idea. The zipper is the key piece missing with most “insulin pump wear” because it gives the option to still be active and not worry about the pump ever falling out when bending over (or jumping, skipping, cartwheeling, playing soccer, etc.). And making sure that the tank top was as fashion forward as possible was a bonus.
Seeing the confidence and pride that she has developed since starting on the pump and getting to wear these tank tops, we immediately realized that this was something worth sharing. Rylee is absolutely obsessed with her tank tops; her sisters even wear them to school on their own sometimes, and because of this we solidified our thought to share and have come to a place where we are now able to.
So that’s why they are trying to raise $1,000 to give a Rylee’s Pocket tank top to every one of the 60 kids with Type 1 diabetes who will be attending an ADA camp at Camp Sealth. Sarah says they have to raise the money by July 26th, and didn’t find out that deadline till last night; they may have a fundraising event in the meantime but the efforts are focused right now on getting donations via ChipIn – you can donate by going here. And if you want to buy a Rylee’s Pocket shirt for someone you know – check the links on their website.
| 14 COMMENTS