In spring 2004 I was diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

I began my treatment and quickly realized it was hard to fall asleep with the new equipment. The mask was uncomfortable and the straps left marks on my face. It was challenging to keep air from blowing out the sides of the mask, or out of my mouth. I sorta slept that first night. 

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After waking up and looking in the mirror, I was surprised that I had marks from the headgear and that would not go away. I knew I could make something to prevent my strap marks. (I have sewn all my life) I made my own tubes from flannel to pad my straps, and slid them on. They prevented the marks from the headgear and it was more comfortable. It took me 6 months, but I did get everything dialed in and and I do love my machine and mask.

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By that fall, I was sleeping well and my therapy was working. My brain was coming back. I realized that there were probably people like me out there who could use some help getting used to their CPAP mask. I could offer them the same pads I was using if I knew who they were, but I did not know anyone else who had sleep apnea.

 

To test the market, I made up 25 really ugly pairs of pads with some brown fleece I had on hand, and I took them to our town in a hand basket one afternoon. Our town is small (about 250 families) and I have lived here for over 25 years so I know a lot of people. I talked to anyone I ran into at the bank, the post office, the clerk's office, and the pharmacy as I went around town. I asked them if they knew anyone with sleep apnea, and I offered them my pads. I sold 5 that afternoon in a couple hours. WOW.

There was a market. 

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I thought "Well surely someone has already come up with a solution to this problem" and I went online to see what was available. I searched and searched and there was nothing I could find to make the mask more comfortable or prevent marks. I realized at that moment, that this was what I was suppose to do with my abilities and my passion to help people.

 

PAD A CHEEK was born. (I call this my Eureka moment)

I started with $1000.00 from our checking account to buy some good fleece and then I made some prototypes. I offered them to people on the cpaptalk forum. They gave me feedback so I could improve the product. They made suggestions and also asked for different products, and I began designing for their needs. The rest is history. 

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I have designed and make over 60 different items for all the CPAP masks on the market. I continue to design new things when the new masks are released, or if there is a recurring problem that people ask me about when I talk with them. We now have a fantastic team of sewers and office staff that make the business a wonderful success. I am so blessed and grateful.

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I would love to make your sleep more comfortable so you can sleep softly and wake rested with PAD A CHEEK. Contact me if you need something you do not see on the website, I may already have designed something for your issue. 

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