By starting my own business, I could work at my own pace depending on how I feel...After several friends saw what I was creating, they started asking me to make them some, so I opened Little Free Radical...
- Crystal Evans-Pradham
Crystal lives with the neuromuscular disease - Mitochondrial Myopathy - the same disease MDA Ambassador Mattie Stepanek and his 3 siblings died of. Mitochondrial Myopathy is a metabolic disease of the muscle wherein the body cannot properly turn food and oxygen into energy. Without sufficient energy, the organ function becomes compromised. When Crystal and her husband planned on getting married they discovered she would be ineligible for health insurance vital to covering her wheelchairs and in-home care. What to do? Unless she found a 40-hour per week job she could not get married and she would lose her coverage. That's how Little Free Radical came to be. "By starting my own business, I could work at my own pace depending on how I feel".
Crystal had her first sewing business when she was 15, making kids clothes and American Girl Doll clothes for families and friends. She figured sewing was something she could easily do again. So she found inspiration in the cloth toys she had been making for her newborn, Sophie. When pregnant, "I found myself in baby stores trying to register, surrounded by products I had no interest in owning. I hated the design choices and as an environmental science major, questioned the materials they were made from." After several friends saw what she was creating, they started asking her to make them the same items. Crystal started out making tutus and some cloth balls and has slowly added more products. "I've gotten several large orders for tutus as birthday party favors as well!"
"On days that I'm too exhausted or sick to get sewing done, I spend those days editing my webpage, searching for new materials and doing other internet-related tasks. On "good" days I get all my sewing done. "
When Crystal's wheelchair was broken for 6 weeks last spring and could not comfortably sew, Crystal sat on the couch making tutus instead. So over the past year she has found ways to adapt to her unpredictable health to keep business going despite broken wheelchairs and seven hospitalizations!
Crystal, even with all the work she puts into her creations and her struggles with her health, she still finds time and energy to work with MitoAction, a boston-based organization that helps families affected by Mitochondrial disease. As well as several other various charities with products for raffles and auctions. This Christmas she is donating some balls and tutus to Mito Wish Upon a Star to provide Christmas gifts for children living with Mitochondrial disease. "Mitochondrial Disease is often fatal in childhood, so every holiday these families have with their children is important, and often budgets are very tight for these families due to the medical expenses they incur."
Crystal is going to introduce an eco-friendly line of products made with organic fabrics and filled {with love} and bamboo-blend fiberfil instead of traditional polyester stuffing. "I'm hoping to offer a lot more organic products in 2012 - several new lines of awesome organic materials are coming out in January that I'm excited to get my hands on!"
Crystal, you are truly an inspiration to us all!!!!!
- Crystal Evans-Pradham
Crystal lives with the neuromuscular disease - Mitochondrial Myopathy - the same disease MDA Ambassador Mattie Stepanek and his 3 siblings died of. Mitochondrial Myopathy is a metabolic disease of the muscle wherein the body cannot properly turn food and oxygen into energy. Without sufficient energy, the organ function becomes compromised. When Crystal and her husband planned on getting married they discovered she would be ineligible for health insurance vital to covering her wheelchairs and in-home care. What to do? Unless she found a 40-hour per week job she could not get married and she would lose her coverage. That's how Little Free Radical came to be. "By starting my own business, I could work at my own pace depending on how I feel".
Crystal had her first sewing business when she was 15, making kids clothes and American Girl Doll clothes for families and friends. She figured sewing was something she could easily do again. So she found inspiration in the cloth toys she had been making for her newborn, Sophie. When pregnant, "I found myself in baby stores trying to register, surrounded by products I had no interest in owning. I hated the design choices and as an environmental science major, questioned the materials they were made from." After several friends saw what she was creating, they started asking her to make them the same items. Crystal started out making tutus and some cloth balls and has slowly added more products. "I've gotten several large orders for tutus as birthday party favors as well!"
"On days that I'm too exhausted or sick to get sewing done, I spend those days editing my webpage, searching for new materials and doing other internet-related tasks. On "good" days I get all my sewing done. "
When Crystal's wheelchair was broken for 6 weeks last spring and could not comfortably sew, Crystal sat on the couch making tutus instead. So over the past year she has found ways to adapt to her unpredictable health to keep business going despite broken wheelchairs and seven hospitalizations!
Crystal, even with all the work she puts into her creations and her struggles with her health, she still finds time and energy to work with MitoAction, a boston-based organization that helps families affected by Mitochondrial disease. As well as several other various charities with products for raffles and auctions. This Christmas she is donating some balls and tutus to Mito Wish Upon a Star to provide Christmas gifts for children living with Mitochondrial disease. "Mitochondrial Disease is often fatal in childhood, so every holiday these families have with their children is important, and often budgets are very tight for these families due to the medical expenses they incur."
Crystal is going to introduce an eco-friendly line of products made with organic fabrics and filled {with love} and bamboo-blend fiberfil instead of traditional polyester stuffing. "I'm hoping to offer a lot more organic products in 2012 - several new lines of awesome organic materials are coming out in January that I'm excited to get my hands on!"
Crystal, you are truly an inspiration to us all!!!!!
To purchase these and other wonderful items, please visit Little Free Radical.
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