Meet the Buddies

The Shadow Buddies Foundation is dedicated to providing emotional support and education to children with severe illnesses or disabilities and to children who are undergoing medical treatments or emotional trauma. The Foundation accomplishes this through unique programs designed to enhance the lives of children and adults by fostering compassion and knowledge of others’ differences. Each Buddy is made to represent a medical condition and is designed to be a friend, “Just like Me”. Each Buddy is carefully researched and crafted in muslin, a durable cotton fabric.

Our Buddies Family Portrait

Finding a Buddy "Just Like Me"

Shadow Buddies are condition-specific “Buddy” dolls designed to be a friend, “Just like Me” for children enduring medical treatments or emotionally traumatic scenarios. Representing more than 36 conditions to date, each Buddy serves to provide critical comfort to children in frightening and often confusing situations. These Buddies do more than simply provide comfort, however, careful and accurate representations of medical treatments and conditions enable medical professionals to demonstrate each child’s unique treatment path and prognosis. Our Buddies are a tangible item that provides physicians and nurses a hands-on tool to help educate children about their disease or illness.

Several Buddies have been adopted by celebrity figures, and the Shadow Buddies Foundation encourages their involvement to the fullest. Children often see celebrity figures as heroes and having them hand-deliver and autograph Buddies dressed to look like the sponsoring athlete has a tremendously positive effect on children in stressful situations. With the positive response and impact that children give to the hero image, the foundation is launching the Courage Crew which includes a Fire Fighter, Police Officer, Paramedic, Doctor, and Military Buddy. We want to honor those in our community that is courageous and help foster a positive relationship between these heroes and our young children.

Click on one of our buddies to learn more about them, customize, and order!