About Us
The Beginning of the Bummer Bear Idea.
Bummer Bears were created as a unique and creative get-well gift alternative to sending flowers, providing a tailored gift to those who are experiencing a "Bummer" in their lives.
The First Bummer Bear
The idea for the first Bummer Bear (Mended Heart Bear) sprouted when my Aunt Mary was recovering from open-heart surgery. I was trying to come up with a get-well gift for her and asked my mom if she had any suggestions. She replied that my aunt collected bears. Once I heard that, I knew what I would send her -- a stuffed bear that I would customize with some hand-stitching running down the front of its chest to mimic the long scar my aunt would have as a result of her surgery. In describing this to my mom she suggested using a zipper instead of thread to mimic the scar, since open-heart surgery patients are often described as becoming a member of the Zipper Club. I went to a nearby toy store and bought a cuddly stuffed bear and attached a small zipper to its chest, tucked a small heart under the zipper and sent it off to my aunt. Well, she loved the bear and the unique zipper feature. (I had become a member of the Zipper Club two years earlier after my own open-heart surgery for a valve replacement, so I could definitely "feel her pain".) I knew that this bear would be remembered long after her pain had gone, and would last far longer than the flowers she would receive from other well-wishers.
I created a second Mended Heart Bear for someone else I knew who was undergoing open-heart surgery (by the same surgeon who performed mine). I realized then that creating bears which were tailored for a particular injury (or “Bummer), not just for open-heart surgery patients, could be a cute alternative to flowers (and much more huggable) and more personal (since the bear's "injury" would be the same as the recipient's injury).
That was the beginning of the Bummer Bears business.
Bummer Creations
Each of our Bummer Bears is customized and detailed in a small bear den, devoted to the creation of unique and thoughtful get-well gifts.
We hope that the recipients of our Bummer Bears will find their spirits lifted and a bit of cheer brought to an otherwise "Bummer" time in their lives.
Thanks for dropping by the Bummer Bears website. We hope you find a Bummer Bear that is "just right" for your friend or loved one. If not, just drop us a note and we can create a specialized Bummer Bear for almost any Bummer occasion or event.
Jenny
(Founder & Den Mother of the Bummer Bears)