Okay so - February ended with a bang! As many of you know, my book “Those Who Care” was published in December 2020. My main vision for the book was plain and simple. Well, not simple but here’s what I wrote in the notes section of my phone prior to publishing:
What is the purpose? To provide a sense of peace and togetherness for caregivers because no one should feel alone in their thoughts during this process. A guided journal to assist in documenting exact feelings and letting people know that you aren’t by yourself and some one has or is also going through it with you.
Where will this sell? Transplant centers will purchase the book to provide to their caregivers for FREE!, Amazon, other online outlets.
So let’s talk about that last part of my vision. After the book was published, of course I reached out to our transplant center first! Due to the patient relationship it was a conflict of interest so I wasn’t able enter any financial agreement regarding the book. I felt defeated for about five minutes and then remembered there are sooooo many more transplant centers! So I started doing my research and sent out a book and proposals to a few major hospitals! Nothing came of that and part of it was my fault because, well the fortune is in the follow up!
Fast forward to October 2021 and I was casually speaking to someone at Penn State Milton Hershey Hospital. We weren’t even talking about my book initially but ended up discussing how there’s a new program and my book would be great fit! I sent over my book and the proposal. A month after the conversation, I received an invoice request for a bulk book order! My vision had come full circle! There was a huge learning curve along the way because I had to learn how to become a vendor for Penn State Health and go through their formal process. But we got it done! The crazy part is I had no idea there was a check at my virtual mailbox location because it came in while I had Covid, so I wasn’t thinking about checking mail at that time! I went to get it yesterday and books are being ordered today💪🏾
I said all of that to say I am officially in agreement with Penn State Health ( Milton Hershey Hospital) to be the provider of “Those Who Care” for their transplant patients/families! Will the patients and families have to purchase? NOPE, that’s already been done for them! I am ecstatic because my main goal was to partner with a hospital and it happened in a little over a year! This is the first of many! It’s up from here and I can’t wait to be able to be a resource for their folks who need it, and offer any support that I can!
Words of advice: Keep working towards whatever you initially set your heart out to do! It’ll be difficult at times, it may require a new version of you, and you may have to learn some new things along the way before it comes to fruition. Whatever it is, in the words of Uncle Luke, ”Don’t stop, Get It Get It!”
Have an amazing day and thanks for reading!