A Female-Owned Company Led by a Cancer Survivor and a Caregiver Reimagines Cancer Gifting for Patients With Practical, Treatment-Specific Kits
CaraKit crafts gift boxes for women undergoing chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, where all products are recommended by women who have undergone those same treatments.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CaraKit officially opens the doors to its online shop, where women undergoing medical treatment, along with friends and family, can purchase survivor-curated gift boxes called CaraKits.
CaraKit was founded by Kellie Whitton (breast cancer, stage 2B/3A), who realized through her own treatment journey that there was a disconnect between the cancer treatment gifts friends and family were being sold online and what she needed at home during treatment.
"I had generous friends and family who wanted to help but didn't know how," said Whitton. "And the truth is, I didn't know either—until I was finished with treatment. I want to combine the specific needs of women during a challenging time with the desire of friends and family to help in a practical way."
Whitton teamed up with her friend Kelley Nichols to help make her initial vision a reality. Along with her impressive work experience, Nichols brought her unique perspective as a cancer caregiver.
"I've always loved giving meaningful gifts for any occasion, but when it came to chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, I was at a loss," said Nichols. "When Kellie started discussing this idea, it made so much sense to me—to ask women who have been through it what they really need because they have the experience."
CaraKit differentiates itself with comprehensive collections; some kits have 25-30 individual products inside. Each kit also includes a detailed instruction card in every kit with advice on how and why to use each product. The kits arrive in colorful, illustrated boxes and each is assembled by hand. CaraKit also promises the price of each kit is less than the combined retail price of the products inside.
The online shop launches with six CaraKits, each offering a selection of products curated to meet the needs of women at a particular stage of treatment: Recovery for post-surgery, Healing for chemotherapy, and Radiance for radiation. Each kit is offered in both a larger Luxe version and a more practical Essentials version. The company also plans to launch two additional kits shortly: Nourishing, to kickstart healthier eating during any treatment phase, and Warrior, focusing on safe beauty products to use during and after chemo. Prices for CaraKits start at $175.
A strong advisory board has contributed to CaraKit's concept and launch, including Dr. James Berenson, President and Medical and Scientific Director of the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (IMBCR) and practicing oncologist specializing in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma, MGUS, amyloidosis, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, and metastatic bone disease for over 30 years. Additional advisory board members include Patty McDonald co-owner and Director of Customer Service at Dr. John's Healthy Sweets; Debra Berenson, author of YOU Have WHAT?, a candid look into the lives of cancer caregivers; Michael Kassner, University of Southern California professor and former chairman of the board of Technovation, an NGO dedicated to encouraging girls and young women to enter STEM fields; and Robert Summers, a former hospital administrator and entrepreneur.
CaraKit also has a significant number of luxury product partners and suppliers, including boutique clothing and décor company Kashwere, signature braless loungewear and sleepwear company JJwinks, sugar-free caramel company Tom & Jenny's, and homeopathic product company Boiron among others.
In keeping with the company's core values, CaraKit offers group purchasing and installment plans to mitigate the cost of the boxes, as well as donating a portion of profits annually to research-based charities and women in need. Whitton, Nichols, and the rest of the team at CaraKit understand that the bulk of women's treatment journeys take place not in doctor's offices but at home, during long days and longer nights. They created these product collections to help bring hope and comfort to fellow women during a difficult time solely through advice and curation for women who have first-hand experience.
"We of course believe in the power of traditional medicine and entrust the difficult work of beating cancer to doctors and other medical professionals. That said, we have worked hard to curate products that address at-home physical comfort as well as the emotional and mental health challenges of treatment," said Whitton. "We make sure that each CaraKit is a gift you'd love to get, even beyond treatment. Because a little luxury can bring a lot of joy, and it's sometimes the smallest comforts that end up making the biggest difference.
About CaraKit
CaraKit's mission is to provide self-care essentials for at home use, plus emotional comfort and support, through survivor-curated gift boxes for women undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. CaraKit's online shop can be found at www.carakit.com.
Jessica Wohlwend, Publicist
Hit The Mark PR
Phone: 310.383.8364
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE CaraKit
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