"My sister just went through a double mastectomy for breast cancer. The doctors told us that they might have to remove some lymph nodes as well. After the surgery, before she went to recovery, I went to a local toy shop to find a present and I found your plush guts. They didn't have any mammary glands but I did find one very cute lymph node. When my sister woke up we had to tell her that she lost some of her lymph nodes in the surgery. I handed her your lymph node and said that we got her one to make up for it though. It made her really happy. She was ecstatic that I had actually found her a lymph node! After seeing my sister go through so much it felt good to put a smile on her face. Thanks for making such a great product!" - Joel M.

"Recently, a wonderful 9-year-old superstar volunteer gave me one of your adorable pancreas key chains. This gift was both completely unexpected, and it brightened my day like nothing else has in a long time. Her gift got me thinking; there are so few aspects of type 1 diabetes that are fun or uplifting. Yet this tiny memento from I Heart Guts has since served as my silver lining on bad days, as well as a reminder that attitude and perspective are everything. On those bad days — days when I just want to give up, or cry, or yell — I look at that smiling little pancreas and remember how lucky I am to have dozens of other perfectly functioning body parts, and also to work for the # 1 organization funding diabetes medical research. To me, your key chain is a placeholder until the day a real cure (or artificial pancreas!) is created.” — Samantha W.

"I am a frequent shopper on your site and wanted to tell you why. My sister had brain surgery a number of years ago, she had a grand-mal seizure when her kids were little. I bought her a brain and her daughter used it as a way to deal with the situation. I bought another for her son. They both love the brains and it has been very therapeutic. Because of my past experience I immediately thought of your website when my cousin had a kidney transplant. I sent both her and the donor a kidney and a pin. What a great way to add a little humor to a serious situation. Both loved their "new" kidney! I am sure I will be back to order more guts!" — Theresa D.

“I love your guts! I have given the stomach to my GI doc, the pancreas to my primary doc, the kidney will be going to my nephrologist, and I have the brain, first, because I'm a psych grad, and, second, because I survived a major traumatic brain injury!  I'm here to order the lungs for my pulmonologist, too! The docs really love these! And so do I!” — Stephanie G.

"My teen is a really smart kid and currently wants to be a doctor and loves anatomy so your products are perfect for him. He has your stickers on his computer and binders for school. His birthday and Christmas lists consist of Amazon gift cards and I Heart Guts. Mr. Doctor doesn't really like 'normal' things -- you would absolutely love him! I'm really happy that there is a real person behind your brand, that makes me like you 10 times more." — Lisa T.

"I have been living with Crohn's Disease for 12 years now. Just last month I had my second surgery to remove more of my intestines. My best friend came to the hospital with a new set of intestines for me. Not only was it incredibly hilarious but it was also helpful too. The intestine pillow works amazing as a post operative cough pillow to hold tight to your abdomen. During my month long stay in the hospital I showed off my pillow to all of the staff and they loved it." - Krystal B.

"My younger sister recently had her large intestine removed and has been feeling down in the dumps (pun). I was so excited to come across your site and see how easy it was for me to order her a new one! The best part is yours is much more cuddly and healthier for her, so I ordered immediately. Now when she's feeling kind of crappy (pun) she can take it with her where ever she goes. I can't wait for it to surprise her in the mail! This has to be one of the best gifts I've ever bought."  --Melissa G.

"This week, I had a bilateral cystectomy and myomectomy of a fibroid tumor (and made it through with all organs intact). I found your ovary in a gift shop but the uteruses were sold out. I ordered one and it arrived in two days! I am impressed with your speedy delivery. Thank you for bringing a little levity to a hard time :)"  -Lane B.

"I'm a nurse and a diabetes educator and I've turned the giant sticker set into magnets and I use them in my group diabetes education classes when we talk about pathophysiology/complications of diabetes.  My students are all adults, but who doesn't like smiley cartoon organs helping you learn about your chronic condition? I use brain, heart, liver, kidney, stomach, intestines, and pancreas is the star of the show...  I [also] wear a pancreas lapel pin on my badge as my own little "diabetes educator" marker."   -Diana D.

"I just wanted to you let you guys know that I found you today and I think it's awesome what you're doing! It's such a cute way to put  a smile on people's faces and your lil plushie guys are adorable. As soon as I have enough money, I'm gonna get a heart of gold I think!... Just wanted to let you know that you're appreciated and you made my day!"  -Eileen H

"Just wanted to say 'thank you'...for an exceptional first transaction with your company! From ease of using your website/getting together my order; your absolutely adorable and unique products, your timely email notifications to confirm order/track package, reasonable shipping rates, speedy delivery, and quality of product...I certainly wouldn't hesitate to order from you again/or recommend you to others! (A good friend of mine... has just found out she needs knee replacement surgery and is, understandably, really nervous/anxious/and upset -- about her diagnosis/upcoming procedure. I was looking for something 'special'...yet, a little off the wall to cheer her up. Your 'Knee Joint Lapel Pin - Kneed For Speed' was the perfect solution. I'm sure she will love it, and it will bring a smile to her face/chuckle. I only wish you had a knee/or leg stuffed pillow...I didn't see any...or I would have gotten her that!). Again -- a sincere thanks for a wonderful shopping experience!"  - Deb W.

"My 6-year-old daughter, who loves your guts, asked me to tell you 'Thank you for making these cool friends!' ...She's known your guts since 3 years old and is fascinated with them; as a parent I suggest you put your products in the "Bodies" exhibit, and in science museums around the country. I am confident you have a successful business because you love what you do and love your Guts!"  - Damaris and Stephanie R.

"I absolutely love I Heart Guts! I have always searched for cool organ pillows and never really found ones that I liked until I came across I Heart Guts. As an aspiring (cardio) surgeon and thyroid disease patient/advocate, I knew I had to get a heart plush and a thyroid plush. I even got pretty awesome “I Heart Guts,” socks that have become my favorite pair! I also can’t forget my heart and thyroid pins, which are pretty stylish if I do say so myself. They are perfect accessories! As a pre medicine college student, looking at the plush organs always make me happier, especially when midterms and finals are around the corner. Any item from I Heart Guts is a great gift for patient, doctors, other medical professionals and just people who love medicine and the body. I love showcasing my plush organs. As an American Heart Association ambassador, I promoted the Go Red Campaign this past February with my heart, which everyone enjoyed seeing photos of!"   -Breana V.

"I got the heart for my husband for valentines day and can't wait to give it to him -- it's adorable! Thank you so much for your products, they are a wonderful way to bring happiness to everyone!" - Erica S.

"We live in Iran and have a small community center for immigrant children living in a relatively poor area of Tehran. We printed your free stuff and kids loved coloring it and they learned so much from your poster. Just wanted to thank you."  -S. Mason

"I have never posted to a site but this is an exception. My nephew has cystic fibrosis and is waiting on a lung transplant. I sent him the Loud Lungs plush organ. It made his day. Days in the hospital are long but the 'Loud Lung' made today a little better."  - Richard S.

"I just bought the thyroid plush for my daughter who had to have surgery to remove half of her thyroid. Now she has a whole thyroid that is really cute. She loves it. Thank you for providing these cute organs to make people laugh!"  - Jennifer K.

"I'm really appreciative of the fact that you went out of your way to make sure the package got to me okay. It's never happened any other time I've ordered something."  -Ergi D.

"I somehow found the store ... and immediately fell in love with the cute guts and all the little pun catch phrases each of them have. I showed my friend the guts, she is also a huge advocate of lame puns, and the two of us would sit on the website and pick out everything we liked ... which was pretty much everything. Her twin brother got her a plush uterus, because they were WOMB-mates, and she got me the new colon keychain. I hope you guys keep expanding because the guts put a smile on my face when I see them. I'm just following the directions that came with my order to leave a nice long letter to this email. Please don't stop, go with your gut instinct on future ideas! Looking forward to my next order of guts"  - Robin S.

"I had a liver transplant in may of last year due to a rare form of liver cancer, it was kind of a surprise at 23 years old. I have a weird sense of humor about my transplant and when I found the "I'm a liver not a fighter" shirt I knew I had to have it! I wear it all the time and people find it hilarious! Thanks so much for the awesome shirt!"  - Courtney G.

"Your plush body parts are THE BEST!!! I just gave my partner a "replacement thyroid" and the laughter was painful. Really, she just had her thyroid taken out Monday so laughing hurts. I will sing your praises and share your name with all my friends and family. Thanks for making creative and interactive body parts!"  -Marianne S.

"I have ulcerative colitis and and having my colon completely removed January 16. The plush will be my buddy for my hospital stay. I've named him Chester. He is my healthy colon that will never hurt me.  The key chain is for my mom. She's been my rock the past 2 years. It's her funny Christmas present. Thank you for doing what you do... We are so appreciative of your guts. You are helping us maintain our humour in dark times."  -Cara H.

"I purchased a thyroid plush for a coworker who has been down lately. She hasn't had a thyroid in years, but she's been struggling with depression and I thought maybe it would be nice for her to have one again. I left him on her desk this morning before she came in. When she arrived and saw him, she cried. I can think of no better compliment to your company. It seems like such a small gesture, but so many of us are missing pieces and the chance to get it back in any way is wonderful. Thank you for your products... You made not only my day, but my friend's too."  - Angela L.

“My son had a brain tumor removed yesterday which had left him basically blind. My daughter bought him the eyeball and we just gave it to him this morning. He just loves it and we are praying for the recovery of his vision. In the meantime he is squeezing his party pupil and it is keeping him company in his hospital bed. Thank you so much for your wonderful creations. We had a great time studying them at the hospital gift shop yesterday.” UPDATE: “I wanted to let you know that we are doing much better. My son has regained his vision and is able to drive again. He will have a follow up MRI in a couple weeks to see about the last 5% of the tumor remaining -- they may do radiation therapy. If all is well he will start looking for a new job. Throughout my son’s ordeal, the eyeball became his mascot -- he’s 26 and still loves plush toys! It’s on our family room couch and still makes me smile.  It became a great rallying point for us all.”  – Sue T.

"Can I just rant about how great and how silly/smart your organ stuffed animals are?... I got a mammary gland at New York Comic Con this year and, wow, I love it... I wish I knew about them early, I would have got one the previous years i went to Comic Con. i am so happy to have found your stand there, I didn't even know about them prior. I knew there were stuffed amoebas and stuff, but organs are so cute. and the puns just make it so much better... Thank you for my wonderful organ and have a nice day." - Typeo

"I saw your pin that says, "pee party" and the illustration is two kidneys serving tea (pee) to the bladder, and I just HAD to get it! Now my bladder has a cute pin!!! I snuggle with it every night, and it reminds me not to hold my pee in during school, so I don't get an infection. I am currently taking life science (7th grade) and I am going to order a brain plush to give to my AWESOME science teacher, since her favorite organ is the brain. I just wanted to say that I am your BIGGEST fan!!!" -Lindsey K

"Thank you so much for the prompt delivery. I ordered it as a surprise for my husband. He will be celebrating the first anniversary of his double lung transplant in 3 weeks time. Thanks again for a wonderful product and service." Caroline K.

“I think what you do is fantastic!  I bought a plush appendix to compensate for my own loss :(, and I’m considering buying the lapel pin too. It’s totally superfluous but it really cheers me up! Anyway, everything is so cute and educational. Keep up the wonderful work and thanks for letting me feel I’m not alone in thinking organs are awesome and adorable!”  Lucy A.

“I saw the plush organs for sale at Supanova at the Gold Coast. All day I was trying to think of which one I wanted to buy. A few years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and they removed my lymph nodes. I saw the lymph node there and had to buy it and I just want to say thanks  it made me laugh to see it sitting there. I think it’s a great idea to make plush organs and to include the little informational tag with it. Your lymph node plush made me smile and I just wanna say thanks :)”  Benjamin G.

“I recently purchased an Ova Achiever plush for my sister.  A couple of weeks ago she had a scare about possibly losing her ovary at 26 years old. Luckily, they were able to save the ovary!  I got her the gift as a reminder of the awesome news she received. She was so very excited to get it and will always love it.  Thank you for what you guys are doing and what you offer to people.  Your merchandise really makes people smile!”  Meredith H.

“Last year my sister-in-law celebrated the 20th anniversary of her kidney-pancreas transplant.  What better anniversary gift than a stuffed kidney and pancreas from your website!  They were a huge hit, both with her and with her little granddaughters… By the way, I am an ICU nurse, and I LOVE your quirky stuff.  Thanks!”  Linda C.

“I just started studying midwifery and am having a bit of a rough patch on my study at the moment; buying the uterus plush, placenta and ovary pins made me feel better about my degree :) Thanks for making super great products, and great job on all the organ related puns!!”  Imogen D.

“I brought a rectum pin and absolutely love it!! I am currently undergoing surgery in that area  and this little guy made me smile. Thank you!!” Jodie G.

“Last week, due to the discovery of cancer, I had a complete thyroidectomy. Luckily, my husband had gifted me with your awesome plush thyroid for Valentine's Day. With a surgery of this type, you experience a lot of neck pain, during the healing process it has been incredibly hard to get comfortable. Only by using your plush thyroid behind my neck have I been able to sleep at night. I just wanted to write and say thank you for being a great, ingenious and cheerful part of my recovery.”  Emily M.

“I’m a psychiatric nurse and wanted to tell you that your little brain button came in handy yesterday. I now wear the pin on my badge and was able to successfully de-escalate a very angry and potentially aggressive patient by simply showing her the pin that said “All You Need is Lobe.” Her face immediately changed from a look of wanting to kill me to a huge toothy smile. I just thought that you should know that your art yesterday really helped someone who is having a hard time. I think that is so important and you should be proud.” -J.

“I found your site on ‘The Block’ New York Comic Con page and I genuinely think I learned more about organ anatomy in the last 20 minutes than I did in all of my high school and college biology classes, combined. I’ll definitely be stopping by your booth, next month.” Randall W.

“I love your products! I bought a uterus a few years back at the Bust Craftacular, my dog used to steal it and my daughter would cry, ‘Mom, Wesley has your uterus again!’ I have the menstrual cycle poster on my bathroom wall too.” Stori N.

“I am 10 years old. Your products are amazing in 7 hundred billion ways! First of all, I love studying the human body organs and such. I might want to be a doctor when I grow up. Some of my friends say organs are gross, but I just ignore them, they don’t know the true awesomeness of organs. Your cartoony guts with cute little faces make learning the organs so much fun! I have a couple of your plush organs. I’m trying to collect them all like they are Pokemon cards or something…weird. I know some people have plush dogs or bears, but I have A PLUSH SPLEEN!!!!” Michael

“Your intestine plushies are GREAT because they work as a fantastic post-op cough pillow. I know, this is how I used it!! Honestly, the plushie I had post-op I took everywhere. It was a great cough/laugh pillow and also good for bracing during car rides.” Jackie Z.

“Finding your website absolutely made my day! I teach human anatomy to undergraduates, and I am SO going to put my smiling intestines (with smiling appendix!) on my desk to greet students who visit my office! Keep up the good work!” Tonya P.

“Our guts arrived and they are adorable! What photo can do justice to the vibrant colors and soft soft fabric? I got the spleen as kind of a gag gift for my son, who lost his, so yours replaces it.  And the ovary is for his fiancee who gave birth 10 weeks ago to twin girls–know she’ll get a kick out of that. The brain for a very cerebral 5-yr-old who already reads and corrects his parents.  The heart for his 3-yr-old brother who is super active and the sweetest boy in the world, the champion of their 16-month-old sister who’s to have the tummy, mostly because the size and color is right for her but also her brothers know all about tummies. I went to your site for the kids, but found fun gifts for adults, and can see doing the same again and again. Great, unique, ingenious and educational product!  Easy website, items arrived quickly. I know they’ll be the hit of Christmas morning!” Merri W.

“I just wanted to say how much I love your products! I’m a doctor myself, so I have a soft spot for these soft plushies. Recently, I had to undergo surgery to have my gallbladder removed, and receiving an I Heart Guts gallbladder as a ‘get well soon’ gift made the experience less scary. I now also own an I Heart Guts heart, which definitely ranks among the cutest things I possess: he is just the right size to use as a pillow, and his slightly lopsided facial features remind me of a cuter version of the Kool-Aid Man. Keep up the great work, and may your business thrive.” Jenna L.

“My husband works in a cardiac catheterization lab and the I Heart Guts shirts I’ve bought for him have been a hit. Doctors, techs, and others in healthcare really identify themselves with the organs they work on.” Rae S.

“I purchased two of your plush stomachs to give to my 27 and 29 year old ‘kids’ this Christmas, and I can’t thank you enough for the delight your product brought to all three of us! My kids had their real stomachs surgically removed, every single cell, in 2009 and 2012, to cure them of the hereditary cancer which took their father in early 2009. You helped bring joy back to our family, and I am truly grateful.” Cindy C.

“Just wanted to let you know that I love your pillows! I had surgery that removed most of my intestine and when I saw your intestine pillow I knew right away that I had to have it — since I no longer had one!” Amanda B.

“As Urology Technician, working in the clinic and the Operating Room, most of the stuff I deal with is considered relatively ‘embarrassing’…. Your kidney, bladder, testis and prostate pins really lighten the mood for everyone, patients and co-workers! My docs and nurses love trying to guess which pin I’ll wear!” Allyse B.

“I purchased the thyroid for my son who was born without one — it arrived and my son loved it! He likes to keep it on his bed. We call his medication his ‘fake thyroid,’ so this little fake plush thyroid was just perfect! He is 11 years old and we are in the process of weaning him from Dad dispensing the Levoxyl to him being responsible for taking it.  This little critter really made an impact.  The booklet, in a language he understands, was light-hearted and yet gave facts that made him understand it is a big deal.  He put it up to his neck and declared: ‘this goes here.’ He has even started to make a list of the other I Heart Guts ‘he needs’ to complete his medical history set.  So again, thanks for a great little ‘pick me up’ product!” L.D.

“My lovely friends in Australia somehow found your plush kidney and surprised me with it as a good luck charm — I was about to leave Australia to fly to England to become a living kidney donor to my mum. The plush kidney was supposed to make me feel less bereft at my loss of a real kidney but my mum likes it so much I think she wants to keep the plush one too! Obviously it has gone with us to all our compatability tests and it came to hospital for the transplant operation. I think it really broke the ice with the nurses who all adored it. I’m sure folks who have plush organs at their hospital bed get better treatment from nurses because they could instantly see that we are patients who don’t take ourselves too seriously! When I’m recovered I will be taking the kidney with me to the organ donation stalls I volunteer on, as a cute reminder to people to register as organ donors.” Scott C.

“I’m the School Nurse of a collaborative school for children with behavior disorders. Luckily I’ve found your company and love this! Your products can give me an excellent way to engage the students of my school in education about their bodies. Thank you for not only being innovative, but wonderfully creative at the same time! ” Mollie W.

“My mother is currently in the hospital waiting to receive a heart and a kidney. She is at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and will be there until she is a lucky recipient! So, I thought it would be a great idea to purchase these as a good luck charm and when she receives the organs (in real life) she can then pass them off to another who is waiting in the hospital. So, I heard of a 22 year old girl on my mothers’s floor who recently found out that she would have to stay at the hospital until she received a heart and she was really depressed. Being 29 myself, I couldn’t even fathom the shock she was going through but I wanted to give her the second heart I purchased to boost her spirits. So, I told her I would come visit her but when she received her heart, she would have to give her I Heart Guts heart to someone else in need. Well, she didn’t have to wait too long, a few hours after I left, she received a heart. My mother was the back up for another transplant the next day. She hasn’t received a heart and a kidney yet but her day will come. I just thought it was so random and I just had to tell you this story! Your items are the talk of the hospital and they think they are good luck charms. Thank you for brightening the days of many people and for making a hard situation a little bit easier! Love your products!” Deanna T.