Health Education for Life, Birgitta Rice
I want to promote the value of my significant research findings, using biofeedback-assisted relaxation training to heal chronic foot ulcers and remove pain; the publications in peer-reviewed medical research journals and articles in general health magazines and now my website www.WarmFeetKit.com. It has brought the information to those who need it most, the people with diabetes, seniors, and those with foot problems all over the world. The WarmFeet® intervention improves peripheral blood flow, increases the healing of diabetic foot sores, and provides pain relief. It has been presented to national and international audiences, among others American Diabetes Association (ADA), American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), Canadian Wound Care Association, and Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
After much research at the Universities of Wisconsin and Minnesota, I realized that the scientific outcomes of my work really should become available to people who needed them and could benefit. Those people would be in the fields of diabetes, podiatry, and seniors. My research was designed to increase blood flow to the periphery of the body, hands, skin, and feet using relaxation training. It provides healing and pain relief. After publishing my work in scientific peer-reviewed journals and speaking to national healthcare organizations, I thought I had done enough - but I would have to get out there and tell the world! That is where SCORE and its Mentors became the catalysts.
SCORE helped me with getting started, finding a name, etc. My work at the University of Minnesota took up so much of my time, I had to put my business on the back burner. I kept on writing and publishing on my favorite topic, the WarmFeet® Intervention. I applied for and obtained a Trademark on the name, and FDA approval for the non-invasive educational intervention to get ready for business. In the last few years, I attended many SCORE seminars and again consulted a SCORE Mentor who has helped me with many questions. I especially liked the summary my Mentor sent me after a discussion - so informative.
My first Mentor helped me before there even was much email communication. We met several times and he taught me so much about starting a business. He would write/mail me several pages-long reports about what we discussed. My mentor, Jon, introduced me to several organizations (medical/science) that I attended and learned from. Later Mentor, Dan, emailed me the reports, with links to the web, where I could go and learn more. We also talked on the phone for urgent questions. SCORE mentors have always been so helpful and encouraging, a true resource "For the Life of my Business".