Meet A Detroit Mompreneur :: Sassy Bambino + Heal-A-Boo-Boo-Project

Sassy Bambino + Heal-A-Boo-Boo-Project :: Amanda Holdsworth

I encourage you to watch Amanda’s video, she takes you into her world with a heartfelt peek into the inspiration behind Peek-A-Boo-Boo Hospital Shirts. 

I am so thrilled to introduce you to Amanda {momma of a 3 YO + expecting!}.  Her story will tug at your heart and you will quickly see that this Mompreneur is full of passion + heart.  When her now 3 YO was only 19 months old, the Holdsworth family was delivered devastating news that their beautiful daughter had a congenital heart defect that required her to immediately undergo open heart surgery.  Certainly not the news any parent wants to receive.  Ever.  

Her crafty side led her to finding a way to release the stress she was enduring during this difficult time with her daughter.  She began making fashionable hospital clothes that her daughter could wear after her surgeries and to all of her follow-up visits. Looking at a child in a hospital gown can make you feel sad.  There is nothing cute or fashionable, or normal about them!  Hospital gowns are typically itchy, loose, not very movement friendly and well, just kinda blah.  They are especially uncomfortable for active little children!  

“I’ve been told that the Peek-A-Boo-Boo shirts help moms feel more comfortable in the hospital setting with their children. The kids aren’t in the standard hospital gowns…the t-shirts I make help moms see their child as being “okay”, as told by Amanda. 

Doctors and nurses LOVED them, she was being asked where did you find something like that!  And that is when the magic began to happen.  She now makes and donates customized hospital shirts, legwarmers and hair bows to children facing upcoming surgeries or medical procedures. To-date, she has sent out more than 220 worldwide. What is more amazing is that she does not charge for her service, her costs are covered by grants and private sponsorship’s, and well, as a business owner, she pays for some costs too!  

She felt so grateful for the heart community while her daughter was recovering from her battle and wants to give back to the heart community.  This is her small way of doing something good to help others that she is passionate about. Read on, as I am sure you are about to fall in love with this adorable Mompreneur and her adorable daughter. 

What inspired your passion?

Like many MOMpreneurs, my business was inspired by the lack of products needed for my daughter. In her case, I couldn’t stand the starchy, open-back hospital gowns, so I created hospital shirts that open in the front out of soft cotton t-shirts.

 

Tell us about your business and the product/service you provide.

The Peek-A-Boo-Boo hospital shirts through the Heal-A-Boo-Boo Project are made for babies and toddlers who are facing upcoming medical procedures or surgeries. The shirts open in the front, giving quick and easy access to nurses and doctors, while keeping children warm. I do not charge for the shirts; instead, I raise money to sponsor shirt and legwarmer packages (and for girls, a matching hair bow). Approximately $10 will cover the cost of all of my materials as well as shipping. I do not charge for my time.

 

Is there a story or an encounter that you can share to give us some background on the development of your business?

In April 2013, we received the devastating diagnosis that our little girl had atrial septal defect, a congenital heart defect that required open heart surgery as soon as possible due to the pressures on her tiny heart. To de-stress, I began making her some custom hospital gowns to wear while recovering from surgery since I thought that the hospital-provided gowns weren’t very cozy, warm or cute. The doctors and nurses went crazy over them because they enabled quick and easy access to check her incision and her pulse…plus, she looked adorable! Other moms asked me where I purchased such cute gowns and a light bulb went off: what a great way to give back to the heart community after they had been so supportive of our family. I started making and donating the hospital shirts (called Peek-A-Boo-Boo) in August 2013 and have sent off more than 220 around the world at no charge to patients since then.

 

Tell us briefly about your family and your approach to balancing the roles of mother and business owner.

I have been married to my wonderful husband, Doug, for four-and-a-half years. Our oldest daughter is three and we’re expecting another baby girl in February 2015. In addition to the humans in our household, we have a one-year-old pekingese, Georgie.

 

I work full-time at the University of Michigan, so finding time to run the Heal-A-Boo-Boo project while not taking quality hours away from my family can be a challenge. When my daughter was younger, she would sit in the craft room with me while I cranked out the shirts. Now that she’s an energetic toddler, I usually work on the shirts after she has gone to bed and I’ve spent an hour or so alone with my husband. I don’t get a lot of sleep!

 

What are you most proud of as a MOMpreneur?

I am the most proud of the fact that my family supports me and that my daughter comprehends that mommy is working on care packages for children who are sick in the hospital. She is extremely compassionate and empathetic, which is how I always wanted my children to be.

 

What encouragement can you give to other women and mothers?

If you’re passionate about it, it’s not work.  Yes, there are only so many hours in a day and yes, it can be difficult and stressful, but when you find something you truly love, things just seem to fall into place.