Ivinson Cancer Center Offers Warmies Stuffed Animals to Comfort Patients

Sitting still through chemotherapy or radiation is hard enough without the chill of a treatment room settling in. Patients at the Meredith and Jeannie Ray Cancer Center on Ivinson Memorial Hospital's Laramie campus now have something soft and warm to hold onto: Warmies, microwavable stuffed animals that require just 60 seconds in the microwave to provide hours of soothing warmth.

Ivinson Memorial Hospital announced the initiative on March 20, through a partnership with the Warmies brand made possible by funding from the Ivinson Memorial Hospital Foundation. The animals are being offered directly to patients receiving care at the cancer center.

Warmies has spent over 30 years establishing a standard for heatable plush, with a focus on rigorously tested, thoughtfully sourced materials. Nurses have long favored Warmies as comfort items, and hospitals across the country carry them in their gift shops, but Ivinson's initiative goes further, placing them directly in patients' hands rather than on a retail shelf.

The Meredith and Jeannie Ray Cancer Center, established in 2012, has built its mission around providing not only essential medical services but also nurturing a sense of community and empowerment. The Warmies program fits within a broader philosophy of whole-patient care that has defined the center's identity in Albany County. Jeannie's Boutique, another standout program at the center, offers free wigs, prosthetics, head coverings, and specialty services for those affected by the physical ramifications of cancer treatment.

For patients facing cancer treatments, Ivinson's focus on reducing logistical burdens has been central to its approach, bringing care closer to home rather than requiring long drives to larger facilities. A stuffed animal may seem a small gesture against the scale of a cancer diagnosis, but these heatable and weighted animals offer solace in moments of distress along with relief from aches and pains through soothing warmth and calming lavender.

The Ivinson Memorial Hospital Foundation, which backs charitable and patient-support programs at the hospital, provided the funding that made the Warmies partnership possible. The cancer center is a comprehensive facility offering patients access to state-of-the-art treatments in chemotherapy and hematology, utilizing the most advanced treatments available to destroy or control cancer cell growth, and the Foundation's support for comfort initiatives reflects the center's understanding that treatment extends well beyond the clinical.