Tubie Friends™ is excited for you to join our family. In order to match your child with a Tubie Friends™ surgeon, please complete and return the request form as soon as possible. Once processed, it can take an average of 3-4 weeks to be matched with your Tubie Friends Surgeon. If there are special circumstances, such as a new tube placement, please let us know. We cannot guarantee faster service, but will do everything possible to meet your needs.
Please contact us with any questions – tubiefriends@gmail.com
Tubie Friends™ Policy & Disclaimer
Tubie Friend Surgeons (TFS) are volunteers who freely give their time and resources to helping Tube Fed Children. Many of us are all still in the trenches with you, which means that sometimes our kids have surgeries, procedures, tests, or hospital stays that takes our time away from Tubie Friends applications and processing. Our administrators monitor the e-mail account and websites. Applications are processed in order of submission. We will not fill a request without a signature stating that you have read this document and agree to release us from responsibility from any possible injury that your child may receive from using this product.
How We Arrange for a Tubie Friend for Your Child
1) An administrator will send out an e-mail acknowledging your request and will confirm you mailing address with you. We will not go to the next step until you respond to that e-mail confirming your address and until shipping is paid (by you or when we secure a donation for your shipping*).
2) An administrator will work to locate a Tubie Friend Surgeon for you. This can take time!
3) The TFS lovingly makes that Tubie Friend just for your child. Sometimes, we are able to add other equipment if you send it to us (trachs, port access, PICC, etc…).
4) The Tubie Friend is then shipped to you.
*If you can’t cover the cost of shipping, please be honest. We will make every effort to find a sponsor for your shipping. No family will be turned away for not having the ability to pay shipping, but it is a huge help to us if you can pay the shipping. We do NOT have a sponsor for our stuffed animals, so all of the production costs are raised by our group.
Tubie Friend Processing Time
Please be patient with us while you are waiting for your child’s Tubie Friend. The full process might take 6-8 weeks before we’re ready to ship! Sometimes we are surprised and can do it faster, but there are no guarantees. Sometimes, it can take longer. We do our best to be quicker than 6-8 weeks, but there are no guarantees.
Priority response will be given to any requests for a child who is getting a feeding tube placed for the first time. However we won’t match your child up with a Tubie Friend Surgeon until shipping is paid and your address is verified. You must respond to our email to verify your address before shipping will take place.
Tube Placement
All of our TFS follow the same process for placing the tube. Our Tubie Friends have a G-tube, J-tube or GJ-tube that was secured in place with a galvanized steel washer on the inside of the animal. The feeding tube and extension were donated by feeding tube manufacturers, and the button in your animal has been rendered useless by the manufacturer. Your Tubie Friend was purchased by our network of family, friends and donors for your child.
Please understand that we work very hard to ensure that the feeding tube will not come out, but we cannot make any guarantees. Stuffed animals with eyes and feeding tubes do have the potential for a choking hazard if anything were to come loose from the Tubie Friend. Your child should be supervised when playing with his/her Tubie Friend, especially if he/she is under the age of 3. Tubie Friends, TFS Volunteers, and Avanos Medical, Inc. are not responsible for this product once your family has received it.
Tubie Friend Limitations
Donated Tubie Friends are given once in a lifetime. If your child’s equipment changes and you would like a new Tubie Friend, you may purchase a Sibling/Caregiver Tubie Friend if available. We cannot alter or change your Tubie Friend after the original order.
Tubie Friends are intended for children physically or developmentallyages 18 and under. If you are interested in a Tubie Friend for an adult, you may purchase a Sibling/Caregiver Tubie Friend while supplies last. First priority will always be given to children with feeding tubes.
Tubie Friends cannot and will not alter any current “lovies” or stuffed animals that your child already owns.
Shipping Costs
To pay for shipping costs and any optional donation amounts for your child’s Tubie Friend, please send payment to our PayPal account (tubiefriends@gmail.com). When you pay with PayPal, please select gift under the personal tab to avoid charging us fees.
You can also pay with a credit card. Please go to our home page and click on the “donate” button. You can enter in the amount you would like to donate. In the comments section, please indicate who this shipping payment/donation is for. Since this is paid to PayPal directly, your credit card number is not given to us. It is very safe and you do not need a PayPal account to do it.
All shipping and any monetary donations should go directly to our Tubie Friends organization rather than directly to a TFS. A TFS should never ask for money from you. If you have any concerns about inappropriate interaction with your surgeon, please contact an administrator immediately.
It’s easy to make a donation to Tubie Friends
Although we do not sell Tubie Friends, we will accept monetary or supply donations if parents choose to make them. Monetary donations are used solely to help cover Tubie Friends, supplies and/or shipping for those who can’t afford it. Donations are not necessary to receive a Tubie Friend for your child, but we will accept them to continue helping other children or to help cover the costs of your child’s Tubie Friend. All our bears/animals are funded through donations.
We do have 501c3 non-profit status and can provide you with a receipt for your taxes if you need it. Please let us know at the time of your donation if you need a receipt.
- Send a gift through PayPal. Our paypal account is tubiefriends@gmail.com
- Go to our home page and click on “donate” to use a credit card or your paypal account.
- Send a Build a Bear Gift Card to our email address: tubiefriends@gmail.com
- Mail a check to Tubie Friends at: PO BOX 13824 Mill Creek, WA 98082
- Support one of our fundraisers (see products tab on website).
Pictures & Stories:
Once you receive your Tubie Friend, please post a picture on Facebook and share how this helped your child, or send us an email. We love to hear how Tubie Friends are making a difference for children everywhere. Our Tubie Friends Surgeons get paid with accolades only. Every warm fuzzy that we receive keeps the fire lit to make more of these. Please continue to raise awareness and spread the word about Tubie Friends! We can only do this if donations continue to support our efforts.
All the best,
Cristin & Shannon
Your Tubie Friends™ Founders and Directors