A CARD FOR THOSE WHO REALLY NEED IT

Russellville newspaper by Mark Griffin Nov.1997
Used by permission.

What does a budding entrepreneur do to get her product noticed when she has limited funds? Why, she visits the stores that sell her products. That is what founder and CEO Cindy Plewinski of LaGrange does for her Dodii Cancer Cards and explains shy she was in Russellville at Basket Junction Nov. 7.

Dodii cancer Cards are a way to express love, concern, and hope to cancer patients that other sympathy cards do not do a good job of covering, Plewinski said. A portion of the proceeds go to cancer research and education.

One card shows a picture of a little girl named Dodii walking away from her house carrying a stick with a knapsack tied to it. The card reads: "When we hear bad news we sometimes want to run away..."

The inside reads: "because I care so much for you I’m feeling that way right now. Why don’t we run away together? P.S. WE have to be back by dinner." A scripture is included in this card and all the other cards.

Since the unveiling of these cards, Plewinski has had people thank her for them because they have allowed them to discuss the matter with that loved one who is stricken with cancer.

"They are so grateful to have the cards," she said.

Plewinski said many people think giving these cards is an acknowledgement they have given up hope. Oh, contrary! according to Plewinski.

"You haven’t given up," she said. " You’re enjoying life to the last second." Some of the cards are appropriate for other ailments, but she is working on cars for those with such diseases as AIDS and lupus.

"We have gotten requests for terminal cards," she said.

Cards are only part of the business. There are also bookmarks, Dodii dolls, hats for bald heads, and sweaters for chemotherapy patients. The sweaters include a stress ball chemo patients can use to open his or her veins.

At first, Dodii was a just for-profit business but now it is turning more into a ministry, she said. She is planning to start the Dodii Foundation that plans to donate some of its merchandise to chemotherapy patients and form support groups.

Most of her co-workers are cancer survivors, Plewinski herself is not but her mother, Doris Overman, was. Overman is now doing fine.

It was April 1994 when Overman, who lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and had to undergo chemotherapy. Because mother and daughter lived so far apart Plewinski was unable to visit her as she would like.

On a drive back from Virginia during one visit, two words popped into her head: "Dodie" and "chemocards." Dodie was the nickname of her mother. Plewinski thought it was a voice from God to make her mother a card.

At first, she thought about buying card stock and draw something on them. But she voted against that because she makes "pitiful drawings" and all she could do was stick figures.

Her next thought was to just buy her mother a card. Thinking that would be simple but when she browsed through the stores she could not find an appropriate card. She could not believe there was not one and wanted to know why no one has done this.

But that did not inspire her to start a business instead Plewinski sent blank cards to her mother during the chemotherapy. However those two words: "Dodie" and "Chemocards" kept on nagging her.

Trying to ignore what she called the words of God was not easy. She told God that is was a good idea but she was not the person to do it--she could not draw or write nor did she have cancer.

After a year of this, Plewinski finally gave in. She asked the Lord to send the people to help her. And it appears He did.

She met Danny Cain, who had lost four family members to cancer. He was looking for a cancer organization to donate his money. He became her marketing agent and came up with the idea to start the Dodii Foundation. He is also working on getting a web page.

Other helpers include Christy Scheider, 23, who illustrated the Dodii cards (her twin sister, Stephanie had brain cancer) and Shirley Schureck who writes the material. She is a cancer survivor. She accompanied Plewinski to Russellville.

It was not until Nov.1, 1996 that Plewinski had her cards out in the market. It was not easy. Many card companies, which she submitted her idea to , rejected it because the money was not there. "Hallmark never called back," she said. She is now doing it herself calling her business Dodii.

She chose the name Dodii in honor of her mother. Her nickname is actually Dodie but Plewinski was concerned people would see it as "do die" and changed the spelling.

Dodii is also an acronym: Defender of Dignity In Illness. Her mother came up with that; she thought all cancer patients needed dignity.

The Dodii character in the cancer cards is suppose to be a young Overman but she was modeled after Plewinski herself.

Plewinski enjoys her work and said she is amazed by the number of people who are willing to help her. She has people who want to distribute the cancer cards and make the dolls.

Anyone wanting more information about Dodii Inc., can contact Cindy Plewinski at Dodii Inc. 2506 Regal Rd. LaGrange KY. 40031; (502) 241-6742 (phone) and (502) 241-6744(fax); or Dodii@aol.com (e-mail).