Scarsdale Doctor's New Company Helps Cancer Patients Cope

Dr. Elizabeth Thompson wanted to do something beyond routine care to help her patients struggling with breast cancer.

For the past year, this Scarsdale resident, Radiation Oncologist and married mother of four children has tried her hand at entrepreneurship.

Thompson launched her company, BFFL Co., (Best Friends for Life) last October, and since then, she has been selling a line of patient-care bags and products.

"The Breast Cancer BFFL Bag was first in my plan to cover all types of cancer and all patients hospitalized," Thompson, a graduate of Yale, Harvard and Johns Hopkins Universities, said.

Now, BFFL sells a variety of care bags, including a neuro bag, a prostate cancer bag, a GYN bag, a mommy/delivery bag, a chemo pack, a lumpectomy bag, and a cardiac bag is in the pipeline, she said. She now also sells special radiation and reconstructive bras and several assorted care accessories on the site.

The care bags, all filled with specific items to help the patient cope post-surgery, are carefully designed and created for that category of patients' needs. A nuero bag includes a wipe board for easy communication and a prostate cancer bag contains "men-friendly" products.

"I love it," Thompson said of what her company does. "My favorite is when someone calls and asks for a custom (bag.)"

Recently, the Yale Bone Marrow Transport Program head saw the breast cancer care bag and asked Thompson to make a bone marrow transplant bag.

"That's what I love to do, to rise to the task," she said. "People don’t really understand what a bone marrow transplant is…we try to have our website give information about topics to dispel the myths."

Thompson is working part-time now as a Radiation Oncologist in Yonkers and Northern Westchester while she juggles her business and family.

Backed by a total of five employees (herself included) and independent contractors, BFFL sells care bags online and some select hospitals provide the bags to their patients. The hospitals include: Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Greenwich Hospital and the University of Southern Alabama Medical School.

"I had to be really creative" juggling work, the new company and family, Thompson said.

Her work schedule can be "pretty crazy" and she does "try to keep in touch with all of my patients even though I’m only working part-time now."

For more information, pricing and orders, visit her website at: www.bfflco.com