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Tunnacliffe Co-founds Business to Help People Deal with Chemotherapy

Whether you’re going through it yourself or watching someone you love go through it, chemotherapy is a struggle that too many people face. Thanks to a new business co-founded by Clinton resident Melissa Tunnacliffe, those dealing with chemo and its effects won’t have to face the burden alone.

In January, Melissa and co-founder Liana Fitch officially launched a company called Nurses Know Chemotherapy Kits. The kits contain items that help manage the side effects of chemotherapy, such as anti-nausea candies, tea, towels, creams, scrub brushes, lip balm, a side-effect tracking sheet, eye mask, water bottle, and education cards.

Melissa and Fitch are both oncology nurses who have been co-workers for years, and each of them came to a realization about their patients.

“People would come in to the clinic with gifts people had given them before, like homemade blankets or socks, but unfortunately couldn’t use them for safety reasons or they wouldn’t work,” Melissa explains.

So instead, the pair decided to make their own kits for the patients.

“Patients really need the kits with things that not only will make them feel good, but they’re useful, too,” Melissa says.

For an example of something that people might not necessarily think about as being useful, Melissa points to the scrub brushes in the kits.

“They are meant for fruits and vegetables, not bodies,” says Melissa. “People going through chemo are more at risk of bacteria on fruits and vegetables, so they’re supposed to wash them longer than the average person. The brush helps with that.”

The kits are available on the website nursesknowchemokits.com at $79. Besides buying a kit for someone you know personally, there is an option to donate one to someone else. Melissa has been pleasantly surprised to see people taking advantage of this offer.

“Every single week, we’re getting some donations. We’ve gotten some from survivors who have been through chemo themselves who leave the people a custom message with some motivation in it,” Melissa says.

Donated kits are hand delivered by Melissa and Fitch to patents at Yale and the Connecticut Oncology Group.

“Its great to give them...at the end of a session, especially if they get a motivational message inside. It makes them feel good and like they can get through this,” Melissa says.

Melissa and Fitch came up with the idea for the kits about a year before they officially launched.

“We started meeting with SCORE, which helps small business starting out, and they link us with a team that was super helpful,” says Melissa.

As co-founder of a new business, Melissa acknowledges that securing the funding for the kits has been a bit a of a challenge.

“We build the kits, and we got a bunch of good wholesale deals on the items in the kits by meeting with the companies, so the kits are cheaper than if you were to go out and try and build them yourself,” Melissa says.

While the funding aspect may be tricky, Melissa doesn’t hesitate when asked about her favorite part of starting the business.

“It’s definitely when I get to hand the kits to the people and then see them again and the effect it has on them. It’s like it gives them the strength to get through these things,” Melissa says. “Or when they come back with the education cards and say, ‘I learned this, this, and this. Thank you.’”

Melissa says the current challenge is to help spread the word about the kits. In addition to the website, there is also an Instagram page at Nursesknow_Chemokits that Melissa encourages people to follow.

“Reading the testimonials and how it really helped people in need is amazing. It’s not just what you’re doing, but how you make them feel that’s great, as well,” Melissa adds.

Besides running the business, Melissa is also an oncology nurse and a professor who teaches nursing students at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich.

“I love it. I’m teaching the next generation how to become nurses,” Melissa says.

Melissa grew up in nearby Ivoryton and now calls Clinton home.

“I love the shoreline. I’m definitely a beach girl, so I definitely wanted to be by the water,” Melissa says.

In her spare time, Melissa enjoys traveling, especially to New Hampshire, and visiting the park at the Clinton Town Beach with her daughter.

“You can find us there quite a lot,” Melissa says with a laugh.

Since moving to Clinton, one thing that has stuck out to Melissa is the close-knit nature of the community.

“I didn’t realize until I moved here, but the community atmosphere and seemingly how close together people are is my favorite part,” Melissa says. “I’m glad my daughter will be growing up in that kind of atmosphere.”