Simply From The Heart Facts
Who we are: Simply From the Heart is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that brings patients complimentary bedside beauty services to raise self-esteem and encourage well-being.
What we do: We deploy what is known as the “Glam Squad” to pamper individuals suffering from a terminal illness or life threatening disease and undergoing long hospital stays and treatment. The services we provide are free of charge to patients and hospitals and include hairstyling, makeup applications, manicures, pedicures, mini-facials, and massage. As part of our services, we also gift every patient with their own “Glam Box” filled with over 25 beauty products from amazing brands such as Revitalash, ecotools, Sephora, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Benefit, Colour Pop, etc.— all for them to keep!
How many patients do we pamper? We currently pamper over 1,000 patients a year— having touched the lives of over 5,000 patients since our inception in 2014.
Our guiding principal: We believe bringing the small things in life one can take for granted—manicures, makeovers, hand massages, simple conversation—to those fighting cancer or chronic illness helps empower patients to look and feel like the beautiful warriors they are. When you have a serious illness, everything about your life changes. In addition to the treatments, medical interventions, and day-to-day pain of being sick, patients often become depressed, lonely, and isolated. We help to dispel those hardships.
Humanity is at the forefront: Our mission believes in the power of human contact and face-to-face interaction. After all, an initial glam session starts by lowering the bed so our volunteers and patients can see eye-to-eye. This core value drives our work and shapes our organization; a principal that we pride ourselves on.
Our greatest achievement: Every patient we pamper; when we see the inner beauty and confidence of our patients resurface after having taken a back seat to their illness, we know Simply From The Heart’s love, care and one-on-one attention transforms lives.
What makes us unique? We believe no one should have to experience long, quiet and lonely hospital stays without color. Our volunteers are trained to visit patient’s bedside, including those in isolation and intensive care. These patients have not left their room in days, sometime months, and a shower or polished nails and some “freshening up” is a major victory. Our Glam Squad helps make every patient feel like the person they were before their illness; not just a disenfranchised number.
Why a Glam Box? We all know how hard it is to walk out of a relaxing… say… massage, for instance. When that moment of relief and comfort ends and we have to hurry back into the chaos and stress of “the real world.” Similarly, we often see our patients have to go from the ultimate “glam squad celebrity experience” to the isolated reality of “life in the hospital;” something we are extremely sensitive to. To make this transition more glorious, we don’t leave them empty handed!
The gift that keeps giving: As part of our services, we gift every patient with their own “Glam Box” filled with over 25 beauty products from amazing brands such as Revitalash, ecotools, Sephora, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Benefit, Colour Pop, etc.— all for them to keep! Each box contains not just one nail polish or lipstick, but multiple options for them to choose from. These options are what allows the patient the opportunity to express their creativity and independence, as well as puts them in control of their own life choices. We regularly get feedback from doctors, nurses, and family members on all the ways our Glam Boxes have uplifted their spirits, created a hobby post Glam Squad visit, some even studying makeup tutorials for weeks after we left!