Celebrating 31 years!
Since 1995, The Shadow Buddies Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Kansas City, has been bringing smiles, hope, and companionship to medically challenged children across the country and around the world in the form of cuddly, plush Buddies. When children are faced with a health care challenge, they need a friend to bring along on their journey.
Our Shadow Buddies can be there to help your child feel safe and secure during a frightening medical experience. These plush pals help your child understand that no matter what type of illness they may have, they are never alone. Your child can proudly proclaim they have a friend “just like me.”
Join us!
Our 2026 Annual Gala
Our 31st annual fundraiser, “ Scoring A Victory for Children- Casino Royale”, will be held on Friday, September 18th at The Doubletree Hotel in Overland Park, KS.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT!
Scroll through our gallery below to see last year’s event:
News & Upcoming Events
Buddy of the Month
It’s August! Meet our very special Buddy of the Month: Day Surgery Buddy. Throughout the month, we'll be working with communities all over the country to connect those in need with a Buddy of their very own.
Click the button below to browse buddies!
2026 Annual Gala
Our 31st annual fundraiser, “ Scoring A Victory for Children- Casino Royale”, will be held on Friday, September 18th at The Doubletree Hotel in Overland Park, KS.
Become a Sponsor!
Introducing year-long sponsorships! Through our Sponsorship Program, individuals, families, businesses, and organizations can help us place more Buddies with children who need them most.
Magical Flight
2026
Mark your calendars!
A truly MAGICAL day is just around the corner.
We’re taking flight in Tampa, FL on December 5th
and Kansas City on December 12th
Introducing
The Know Your Buddy (TM)
Collection
Our new Know Your Buddy (TM) Book Series — is created for specific diagnoses, allowing children to better understand conditions and treatments in a kid-friendly way.
The Oncology Buddy is designed to be a friend “just like me” and a teaching tool. Using the buddy, healthcare professionals can effectively dispel fears and instill confidence through education and medical play therapy.
Individually packaged, each Buddy arrives with a brightly colored gown. The Oncology Buddy comes with a Hickman catheter in the chest, thinning hair, and a mask. Also available with Port.
Shadow Buddies can go to procedures with the child and stay with them throughout their treatment and lifetime. All our Buddies have heart-shaped eyes for love and wear a big smile. Yes, belly buttons are included!
Our new Know Your BuddyTM Book allows children to better understand their condition and treatment in a kid-friendly way. They are a wonderful and creative tool for the child to use when explaining their diagnosis to siblings and friends. They are also a resource to help educate all children about those with medical issues.
The Day Surgery Buddy is designed for any child diagnosed with an illness or undergoing medical treatment. It can be a companion to a child who is going to the hospital or outpatient facility for medical procedures, treatments or surgery.
The Day Surgery Buddy does not have any medical condition represented, just a belly button and gown. Individually packaged, each Buddy arrives with a brightly colored gown, heart shaped eyes for love, and a big smile.
Shadow Buddies can accompany a child to their first procedure and stay with them for a lifetime.
Our new Know Your Buddy (TM) Book allows children to better understand their situation and treatment in a kid-friendly way. They are a wonderful and creative tool for the child to use when explaining their diagnosis to siblings and friends. They are also a resource to help educate all children about those with medical issues.
Life will always be full of uncertainties and difficulties for everyone. Kids need help in recognizing their problems, taking action, and resolving them. Some children aren’t old enough to do anything on their own, and they need extra help just to get started. The (ID) Identification Buddy helps in fulfilling that need.
The Identification Buddy does not have a face. Healthcare workers use this Buddy in role playing and counseling. Children are able to draw their own face on the ID Buddy and express how they see themselves. The Identification Buddy offers needed emotional support by being a friend “just like me” and is available for hugs at a moments notice.
Our new Know Your BuddyTM Book allows children to better understand their situation in a kid-friendly way. They are
a wonderful and creative tool for the child to use when explaining their feelings to siblings and friends. They are also a resource to help educate all children in navigating their emotions.
The Heart Buddy is designed to be a friend “just like me” and a teaching tool. The Heart Buddy is special, for it was the first Buddy created after Miles Postlethwait had his first heart surgery many years ago. Since then, doctors, nurses, child life professionals, and others have used Shadow Buddies to dispel fears and educate their young patients through medical play therapy.
The Heart Buddy has an incision down the chest and a red mended heart. Individually packaged, each Buddy arrives with a brightly colored gown, heart-shaped eyes for love and a big smile. Yes, belly buttons are included!
Shadow Buddies can go into procedures with a child and stay with them for a lifetime.
Our new Know Your BuddyTM Book allows children to better understand their condition and treatment in a kid-friendly way. They are a wonderful and creative tool for the child to use when explaining their diagnosis to siblings and friends. They are also a resource to help educate all children about those with medical issues.
The Ostomy Buddy is designed to be a teaching tool and a friend “just like me.” Learning to live with an ostomy can be tricky at first, but children quickly begin to adapt — with their Buddy’s help. If it’s learning how to change their bag or just knowing that others have ostomies too, the Ostomy Buddy provides comfort and confidence.
The Ostomy Buddy has a stoma with a detachable pouch. Individually packed, each Buddy arrives with a brightly colored gown, heart-shaped eyes for love, and a big smile.
Shadow Buddies can go into procedures with a child and stay with them for a lifetime.
Our new Know Your BuddyTM Book allows children to better understand their condition and treatment in a kid-friendly way. They are a wonderful and creative tool for the child to use when explaining their diagnosis to siblings and friends. They are also a resource to help educate all children about those with medical issues.
Our Busy Buddy, which is our therapeutic Senior Buddy, is designed for individuals living in the middle to later stages of Alzheimer’s or other dementia. Busy Buddies provide sensory and visual stimulation and are known to reduce stress and anxiety for individuals living with the disease. Busy Buddies are implemented as part of a meaningful engagement activity/program or with care partners and should be used with supervision.
The Shadow Buddies and the Alzheimer’s Association, Heart of America Chapter have collaborated to provide these Busy Buddies to individuals living with dementia.
Beneficial - meaningful activities are beneficial
Understanding - your Buddy understands you
Sensory - provides engaging sensory experiences
You - focuses on you and your remaining skills/ability
The benefits of the Busy Buddy:
Creates a tool for social engagement
Regenerates warm, nurturing feelings of caring for others
Makes it possible for someone who is dependent on others
to care for someone or something
Offers sensory stimulation
Helps with fine motor skills
Provides a sense of calm, and may decrease challenging behaviors
Who We Are
A children’s charity organization dedicated to illumination, compassion, and emotional support through the education of children and adults regarding illness, disability, or medical treatments.
Our Mission
The mission of the Shadow Buddies Foundation is to provide emotional support through education regarding illness, disability, or medical treatments. The foundation accomplishes this through unique programs designed to enhance the lives of children and adults. In pursuit of that mission, the foundation will continually raise funds, develop new programs and build relationships between organizations with complimentary goals.
Our Goal
Our goal is to help children understand their medical conditions and act as comforting companion that kids can share their experiences and treatments. A Shadow Buddy brings comfort and compassion to children while they undergo treatment for their illnesses or conditions.
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@shadowbuddies
