Needlecalm Pty Ltd

29/11/2025

We’re proud to announce a new partnership between NeedleCalm™ and Stripped Supply, and to support the launch of Stripped Supply’s new podcast led by Ashley Hanger.

Stripped Supply is known for amplifying lived experience and advocating for more inclusive, respectful care — particularly for people living with diabetes and those who rely on regular injections. Their new podcast creates space for important conversations around needle fear, accessibility, dignity and what trauma-informed care can look like in real life.

At NeedleCalm™, our mission is to reduce pain, anxiety and avoidance associated with needle-based procedures. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to helping people feel safer and more supported when accessing care — especially those who have previously delayed or avoided treatment due to fear.

We’d like to sincerely thank Ashley Hanger and the Stripped Supply team for their leadership, authenticity and collaboration. We’re excited about the impact this partnership will have for the broader community.

🎧 We encourage you to explore the podcast and learn more about Stripped Supply’s work — because no one should feel excluded from healthcare due to fear.

👉 Follow Stripped Supply and listen to the podcast
👉 Share this with someone who might benefit from more supportive needle care

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7ErhPtXrD8OW3GhSMmP9vZ?si=iYzzySmgQoi9KRWvKVQzww

The Stripped Pod · Episode

28/11/2025

Needle phobia affects around 1 in 4 people — with even higher rates among children, people living with disability, neurodivergent individuals, and those who experience heightened pain or anxiety around needles.

We’re incredibly proud to have supported Life Pharmacy Orange in the launch of Australia’s first pharmacy-based, needle-phobia-friendly clinic — a community-led initiative championed by Krysti Lee Patterson, and designed to make healthcare safer, calmer and more accessible for everyone.

Working closely with the Life Pharmacy team, the clinic supports both children and adults receiving vaccinations and injectable medications in a calm, trauma-informed and non-judgemental environment.

A heartfelt thank you to Phil Donato MP for attending the launch and engaging with the clinic firsthand.

This initiative reflects a growing commitment to reducing avoidance of care and improving health outcomes for people living with disability and neurodivergence — one community pharmacy at a time.

💬 Know someone who avoids care because of needle fear? Share this post and help spread awareness that better options are available.

25/11/2025

We’re proud to partner with Stripped Supply, Australia’s leading subscription service for diabetes supplies.

NeedleCalm will become available in personalised boxes — supporting thousands of people who inject daily.

Less stress. Less pain. More control. 🤝💙supply

20/11/2025

So many people don’t fear “the needle” — they fear the moment their nervous system stops feeling safe.

For anyone with needle anxiety, past trauma, or a history of painful medical experiences, procedures can activate the same pathways that once protected them. Their body isn’t overreacting — it’s remembering.

Kindness, predictability, and gentle presence help the nervous system shift from threat into safety.

NeedleCalm builds on that foundation by reducing needle pain, lowering the sensory threat, and helping patients stay regulated long enough to receive the care they need.

Because healing doesn’t begin with the needle.
It begins with safety.
It begins with compassion.
It begins with calm.

NeedleCalm™ — supporting safer, kinder needle experiences.

19/11/2025

Oopsie, we got the date wrong! The opening of Australia's FIRST pharmacy-based Needle Phobia clinic at Life Pharmacy in Orange is scheduled for Wednesday, 26th November 2025 at 10am.

Needle-based procedures can be terrifying experiences for many people in the community, but with the right care, tools and training, the pain and anxiety can be reduced.

Gather your friends and family for a morning tea to learn more from Lauren Barber, founder of NeedleCalm and a fearless warrior in the fight against horrible, painful patient experiences this coming Wednesday.

19/11/2025

NeedleCalm may help to reduce needle pain, helping patients feel calmer, safer, and more in control during procedures.

When care feels kind, predictable, and gentle — healing becomes possible.

13/11/2025

✨ Today is World Kindness Day ✨

And if you didn’t already know… we like to do things a little differently around here.
Kindness is core to everything we do — especially when it comes to supporting people through needle-related anxiety and healthcare experiences.

So today, we’re excited to share a little kindness from our friends at Needle Buddies. 💛

They’ve given us a special discount code just for our community:

GRMFHVJZ → 5% off when you purchase 1 Needle Buddies product on Amazon.

These clever little disguises are designed to help kids feel calmer and more in control during injections — a small tool that can make a big difference.

Shop here:
https://www.amazon.com/Needle-Buddies-Disguises-Childhood-Injection/dp/B09PLHZ88S

A little kindness really does go a long way. 💙

About our team: We are a Canadian Mother-Daughter team with a mission to prevent needle anxiety before it begins. Research shows that the best time to prevent a lasting fear of needles is between the ages of 4 and 6. Needle Buddies is the perfect addition to the strategies you use to help your ch...

13/11/2025

🌍 World Diabetes Day: Honouring the Breakthrough That Changed Everything

In 1922, a small team of scientists at the University of Toronto walked into a hospital ward filled with children who were comatose and dying from diabetic ketoacidosis. Their parents sat helplessly at their bedsides, waiting for the unthinkable.

What happened next remains one of the most profound moments in medical history.

Dr. Frederick Banting, Charles Best, James Collip and John Macleod began injecting each child with a newly purified extract — insulin. As they administered the final injection, the first child they treated began to stir. Then another. And another.

One by one, the children awoke.

A room that had held only fear and grief just hours earlier was suddenly filled with hope. Parents who had been preparing for the worst were now embracing their children. The discovery of insulin transformed type 1 diabetes from a certain death sentence into a condition that could be managed — and a future that could be lived.

More than a century later, insulin remains one of the most important treatments in the world, supporting millions of people every single day.

Today, on World Diabetes Day, we honour that extraordinary moment and the ongoing innovation that continues to improve the lives of people living with diabetes.

At NeedleCalm, we are proud to be supporting this community — and equally proud to be partnering with Stripped Supply, Australia’s first diabetes subscription service. Together, we’re committed to making diabetes care more accessible, more comfortable and less overwhelming.

Progress began with a single breakthrough in 1922. It continues today with every effort to make life easier, safer and more dignified for those living with diabetes.

💙 Here’s to hope, innovation and the people at the heart of it.

13/11/2025

Celebrating Dr. Manju Dawkins — a true force in patient-centred innovation ✨

The NeedleCalm team couldn’t be more proud to see Dr. Manju Dawkins — physician, founder, and the brilliant mind behind the Thimble Prepare Patch — featured in Forbes this week. This recognition is an extraordinary and well-deserved milestone.

Dr. Dawkins’ work is a powerful reminder that some of the most meaningful breakthroughs in healthcare aren’t loud or flashy — they’re thoughtful, precise, and deeply human. Her mission is simple but far from easy: to reduce needle-related fear, pain, and trauma for the millions of people who experience it every day.

Her inclusion in the article “The Next Big Thing In Healthcare Might Be Small: Micro-Innovations” perfectly captures what makes her contribution so impactful. These micro-innovations require vision, persistence, and compassion — all qualities she embodies.

Needle aversion affects 63% of people globally, creating a real barrier to care. Instead of accepting this as inevitable, Dr. Dawkins built something better.

Thimble, through Prepare and Recover, offers accessible, over-the-counter support for anyone who needs a gentler injection experience — numbing before, soothing after, and transforming fear into confidence. Achieving this is no small feat.

As highlighted in the Forbes piece, and as Adaira Landry, MD MEd, beautifully states:
“Healthcare's deepest challenges won't be solved with a single clunky breakthrough. They'll be solved by thousands of small, elegant ones.”

Dr. Dawkins is leading that movement — proving that when innovation is grounded in compassion, it has the power to change lives at scale.

The NeedleCalm team is incredibly proud to celebrate her work, cheer her on, and stand alongside fellow innovators dedicated to improving patient experiences everywhere.

Here’s to the micro-innovators transforming care one thoughtful solution at a time — and to Dr. Manju Dawkins, whose work shows that better is always possible. 💫

12/11/2025

When a Needle Becomes a Source of Trauma

Poor experiences can create lifelong fear — but compassionate, trauma-informed care can change the story.

Why This Matters
Many people living with chronic illness, disability, or anxiety have experienced distressing needle procedures — rushed blood tests, painful injections, or feeling unheard when they tried to express fear.

Over time, these experiences can compound into needle-related trauma or Medical PTSD, where even the thought of a procedure triggers panic or avoidance.

What Needle Trauma Can Look Like
• Panic attacks or fainting before or during procedures
• Avoiding tests, vaccines, or treatment — even when needed
• Flashbacks to painful or frightening medical events
• Heightened anxiety or sleeplessness before appointments
• Feeling powerless, ashamed, or dismissed when asking for support

How the System Contributes
• Lack of time, empathy, or trauma-informed practice in care
• Being told to “just relax” instead of being supported
• Repeated painful or failed attempts at injections or blood draws
• Dismissal of fear as “childish” or “overreacting”
• Inaccessible or overwhelming environments (lights, smells, sounds)
Paths Toward Healing
• Acknowledge that fear and avoidance are valid responses to past harm
• Prepare for procedures with grounding tools — breathing, music, or comfort items
• Bring a trusted support person or advocate when possible
• Ask for time, explanations, and choice — trauma-informed care starts with consent
• Explore supportive tools like the NeedleCalm® device, which provides a calming sensory distraction during injections and blood draws, helping reduce pain and anxiety

How NeedleCalm Can Help
NeedleCalm® was designed to make these moments safer and more manageable.

By engaging the body’s natural pain-gating response, it can reduce both physical discomfort and emotional distress — creating a bridge back to healthcare for people who’ve been avoiding it out of fear.

For some, it’s not just a comfort aid — it’s the first step toward rebuilding trust in medical care.

05/11/2025

🩵 Did you know:

7 in 10 people living with diabetes are of working age.

3 in 4 have experienced anxiety, depression or another mental-health condition because of their diabetes.

4 in 5 experience diabetes burnout.

At Needlecalm, we believe that improving the injection experience isn’t just a matter of comfort—it’s a matter of well-being. Making injections smoother and less stressful helps reduce the mental load of managing diabetes every day.

As one diabetes advocate put it:

“Stay strong and know that it’s all going to be okay. There’s some comfort there knowing you’re not alone.” – Nick Jonas

We’re proud to play our part in this journey—helping make each injection a calmer, more confident moment.

📅 And here’s the big news: stay tuned for our announcement on World Diabetes Day (14 November)—we’ve got something special in store for the diabetes community.