Meet Yuliana!

She’s a resident physician in pediatrics who’s particularly jazzed about rest, wellness, and emotional and social development in all humans—but particularly in children. She wears a lot of hats: She’s a caregiver, a friend, a partner, a granddaughter, a dog mom, a reader, a learner, a crafter, a mean letter writer, and she’s got an uncanny knack for remembering voices.

📍New York City

A pair of beautiful mittens

In hospital settings, germs abound. We actually use hand sanitizer before AND after leaving patient rooms in order to prevent the spread of disease, and we wash our hands religiously dozens of times a day. On top of that, I work with children, which means they have “underdeveloped” immune systems and they’re always catching some virus or other. I also live and work in NYC—not the coldest place in the world, but cold enough to develop extremely dry, chapped and scraped hands, especially in the winter. This ask is to save my hands, which are something I (and many fortunate people) use every day! I’ve had to work with dry, chapped hands in the past and it is painful. Imagine the stinging and burning every time you use hand sanitizer on raw, open skin?!

And how lovely, toasty warm, and luxuriously soft do these mittens look?! I think slathering my hands in Vaseline and hand cream before slipping these babies on will do just the trick and save my hands this frigid winter. It’s a very extra purchase and it’s not something that I would ever be able to afford for myself, but I figure a little bit of this experience is also about “treating yourself.”

A 90-minute massage

I am TENSE at work, after work, all the time. The stress of long hours and intensity of caring for sick children takes a toll on the body. Muscle tension affects your posture, your gait, and generally just makes you feel like shit (excuse my French, but it’s scientifically proven). I would love to be able to get a massage to work out the knots that develop not only from the stress but also from sitting in front of a computer all day, sleeping in chairs, and running around the hospital.

Gluten-free bagels

There’s an entirely gluten-free bakery not too far from me that I very recently discovered. As I have Celiac disease, it’s still difficult to find food that I can eat, even in NYC! It’s also difficult to prepare meals for long work weeks, and there are times that I just can’t manage it. It would be awesome to have a little bit of wiggle room to grab a meal or even just a bagel for work or after a late shift.

Meet Emily!

She’s an abortion doula—someone who cares for people before, during, and after they have an abortion—and political strategist currently based in Arlington, VA. She is also an intuitive self care coach, a planner connoisseur, and is working toward becoming a holistic health coach for women.

📍Arlington, Virginia

Fitness class package

This year, I’ve been working on finding movement that makes me feel better mentally and physically, rather than exclusively viewing exercise as a mode for losing weight. I’d love to try out the various classes FitDistrict offers so I can continue this movement journey.

Floatation therapy session

Between our abortion rights constantly being attacked and a never-ending news cycle, I could really use a break. That’s why I’m so interested in floatation therapy. The idea of floating in the dark, by myself, with no noise or light, just sounds so, so healing.

Protein butters

After having surgery earlier this summer, I have had to change my diet to prioritize protein. I’ve wanted to try these nut butters for a while now for a high-protein, low-sugar treat!

Meet Mary Jo!

She’s been a writer and reporter for decades and now primarily covers animals and wildlife from her home in metro Atlanta. She’s fostered about 60 puppies. Many of them are blind, deaf, or both. She has a “ridiculously patient” husband, a “brilliant” adult son, and the “world’s best” rescue dog.

📍Atlanta, Georgia

Healing salve

The first special needs puppy I ever fostered was with Snooty Giggles, a special needs rescue based near Nashville that specializes in dogs with medical issues that make them harder to adopt. This healing salve is supposed to be amazing for people and for dogs.

Leggings with pockets

I work from home, I walk a lot, and I spend a lot of time on the floor with puppies, so leggings are pretty much my daily wardrobe. Pockets are key because I have my phone and dog treats on me at all times. I’d hate to see one of my puppies do something cute and not be able to take a photo!

Eucalyptus mint shower steamers

When the puppies nap and I’ve met my work deadline, that’s when I’ll jump in the shower. It’s a 10-minute oasis of steam and warmth where I get to just breathe. I think these shower steamers might make that break even more relaxing and refreshing.