THE TEDS FOR BEDS ORIGIN STORY

While volunteering at the University of Virginia Hospital, Lara passed by many pediatric rooms and thought about how daunting it must feel to be a child in those large rooms filled with strange machines and equipment. In an effort to do something to help, she decided to personally donate giant bears to provide more huggable comfort to pediatric patients in those rooms. Sharing this idea on her social media, an overwhelming number of people joined in! 

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Soon after, Lara met Nazanin on a pre-med Facebook page and learned of her similar initiative to bring teddy bears to kids in the hospital after she was gifted a stuffed toy that comforted her during treatment for a rare form of soft tissue cancer called Synovial Sarcoma. After treatment and surgery at UCLA, Nazanin went on a mission to support pediatric and young adult patients during their own personal health experiences. 

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Although Nazanin and Lara live over 2,000 miles away, that didn't stop them from their passion to spread smiles in the hospital. Together, they combined missions and founded Teds for Beds.