Bloom Social for Good

Bloom Social founder Kirsten and her husband and Bloom Social co-owner Jeff welcomed their rainbow baby, Roy, in December 2023. He was unexpectedly born with a rare disease leaving the two feeling fearful, overwhelmed, and alone. Kirsten turned her pain into purpose. With Roy's diagnosis, he has visible and invisible abnormalities. One visible abnormality was a cyst on his left eye causing poor vision, resulting in him getting glasses at just five months old. When he got glasses, Kirsten did too. Although hers are fake, she wanted to look like him and know he was, and always will be, supported.

To support other families whose young kids are receiving glasses for the first time, Kirsten began making an annual donation of custom teddy bears with glasses to Roy's ophthalmologist at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. She personally sews the glasses onto each bear. Since 2024, she's donated 250 bears and counting.

At Roy's one-year genetics appointment, Kirsten asked his doctor if there was a rare disease support program through Corewell Health. There wasn't, so she asked if the doctor would partner with her to create one. Without hesitation, the doctor said absolutely. Kirsten spent all of 2025 building it, and at the end of the year, Corewell Health's Rarely Alone support program launched, connecting new rare disease families with volunteer seasoned rare disease families who truly understand their journey.

Kirsten also wrote a children's book inspired by Roy called Perfectly Rare, celebrating differences and encouraging love.