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PAJAMAS WITH LOVE: A Mother’s Love and Loss Are the Strongest Threads
ajamas bring to mind a sense Working through the pain and grief of of warmth and comfort. They her daughter’s illness and passing took are the security blanket we many years, but Leela never forgot the By Maureen Spataro wear as we settle in for the night before comfort and security Priyanka was drifting off to sleep. We feel safe and cozy, and you would be hard pressed to able to have simply by having her own pajamas. In the unknown and sterile find a child who doesn’t recall his or her favorite pair. But for Leela Rao, her environment of the hospital, her pajamas were her reminder of home. company Pajamas with Love was born from the heart of a mother who knew firsthand the impact a simple pair of pajamas could have on a child fighting a Pajamas with Love was launched 16 years after Priyanka’s death in April life-threatening illness. 2019. The logo—the letter P adorned with a crown—is found in each of their designs. And, to assist in providing the much-needed funds for pediatric cancer As Leela recalls, even as an infant, her daughter Priyanka had several health research, 50% of company profits are donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma issues. Then at the age of 4½ years old, Leela Society. In the near future, the company would like to received the heartbreaking news that her daughter host hospital pajama parties similar to the sleepovers had leukemia. Hospital stays became a frequent Leela’s son, Nihal, had hosted for his baby sister. necessity. Priyanka’s life—and death—had a lasting effect on the Although the hospital provided patients with family. “You never recover from the death of a child. pajamas, Priyanka disliked them and found them Many days are spent faking it until you make it,” says uncomfortable. “It was crucial during those Leela. difficult days that she had some sense of comfort and safety,” Leela recalls. “I made sure to bring her However, with a resilient mind and spirit, and driven pajamas and slippers with us for the days she had to by love, Leela continues to build a legacy of safety, be hospitalized.” comfort, and fond memories of her daughter by making a warm pair of pajamas available for other As the years passed, those visits became more children just like her. frequent and longer. Throughout her battle with leukemia, Nihal had been a remarkable big brother “Not only are our designs 100% chemical-free, stretchy to Priyanka. He had Friday night sleepovers with cotton, and have unique features that make changing her at the hospital, and did all he could to be a your baby hassle-free, our buyers become contributors cheerful and loving brother. that provide funding, comfort, care, and courage for an important children’s cause.” After a long and fierce fight, Priyanka passed away before her ninth birthday. PajamasWithLove.com 102
