Our Story

Angel Bear Pump Stuff Inc was formed in 2004, in honor of my four-year-old diabetic granddaughter, Ashley Kate, and her beloved white stuffed polar bear.

The story of Angel Bear began shortly after I found out that my daughter, Lisa, was pregnant. Stuffed away in the corner of my closet was a brand new, white, furry soft polar bear that I had purchased years earlier as a present for some future grandchild. When Lisa told me she was pregnant, I gave her the white polar bear for her baby, my first grandchild. The day Ashley was born, the white polar bear was in the room watching over his new baby owner.

Ashley and the white polar bear were soon inseparable. Every night as Ashley fell asleep she gently rubbed her fingers down his soft white fur. Lisa was so afraid that the bear would get lost, and her little girl would be heart broken, that the bear was confined to the house.

Then one day when Ashley was 10-months old, Lisa and Ashley were leaving the house to run some errands. Ashley started crying so hard for her polar bear, that Lisa gave in and let her take the bear with. With Ashley in Lisa’s left arm and the white bear clutched in Ashley’s left arm they started down the front stairs.

Half way down the stairs Lisa tripped, fell to her knees and starting sliding down the stairs toward the concrete landing. She clutched Ashley to her, but the momentum of the fall hurled Ashley’s head, face first, toward the pavement. Luckily Ashley pulled the white polar bear to her face and he cushioned the blow. Ashley was safe and Lisa only ended up with bruised knees.

That day Lisa named the white polar bear, Angel Bear, because he watched over Ashley and protected her from harm.

Angel Bear is still Ashley’s constant companion, although he is no longer bright white or fluffy soft. He is well worn and well loved. He has been with Ashley from the day she was born through the nightmare ER visit where she was diagnosed a type 1 diabetic to her current status as a reasonably well controlled, pump wearing diabetic and happy go lucky four year old.

Just like Ashley’s journey from birth to her 10-month ‘flight’ down the stairs with Angel Bear, Ashley and her mom have had quite a journey from diagnosis to Insulin pump wearing. Ashley was diagnosed at the age of 3 years old (March 2003) and began wearing a pump at 4 years old (March 2004). The road has not been smooth. Her mother worked very hard to get the medical care and insurance she needed to help Ashley. Lisa went through three doctors before finding a Pediatric Endocrinologist who would put Ashley on a pump and then changed jobs to get better health insurance and to be able to provide leading technology care for her daughter.

I wanted to do whatever I could to help. The least I could do was to educate myself, support her efforts, be a secondary caregiver and find a way for Ashley to wear her pump comfortably.

Angel Bear Pump Stuff Inc. was formed to make comfortable, fun, fabric pump cases for diabetic insulin pumps for Ashley and all children and adults. Pump wearing should be comfortable, safe, easy and fun. With Angel Bear watching over us that is what I want for all of you.

From our Family to Yours…..