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Jamie Shultz’s inspiration for her innovation starts where many others do: with frustration. But she did not tinker away in a garage, dreaming up the next shiny gadget. Her pain and discomfort, the kind that makes the simplest tasks seem monumental, was raw, real and human—stealing comfort from an already difficult life. An urgent solution was necessary.
Diagnosed with multiple autoimmune diseases, Jamie’s world changed in ways that most of us can barely comprehend. The former attorney found herself navigating a new life defined by chronic illness, frequent treatments and something called a chest port—a device that allows direct access to a vein for delivering medications, especially for patients like Jamie who need infusions regularly. But even that, a seemingly practical solution, came with its own set of challenges. One big, painful challenge: the needle.
If you’ve ever had a chest port, you know that each access comes with a painful poke. The numbing cream, typically lidocaine, helps. But here’s where the frustration sets in. The numbing process itself? A chaotic dance of lidocaine, plastic wrap and hope. Hope that the cream stays in place, hope that it actually numbs the right spot, hope that by the time you get to the infusion center, you won’t be dealing with smudged cream and an uncovered port. But often, that hope is misplaced and patients like Jamie are left to endure a process that’s messy and inefficient.
In the world of chronic illness, where every bit of energy matters, spending time wrestling with plastic wrap and runny cream isn’t just annoying—it’s exhausting. And so, Jamie thought, “There has to be a better way.”
The birth of Port Protect: A simple solution with big impact
And there was! Port Protect, Jamie’s brainchild is an elegantly simple product that solves a problem no one else seemed to be addressing. Instead of messing with plastic wrap, patients can now use this neat little invention that sticks in place over the chest port, holding the numbing cream exactly where it’s needed. No mess, no stress, just a seamless process that makes life a little bit easier for people who need it most.
Think about it—a product that saves patients from unnecessary pain and frustration, that offers something as simple yet profound as comfort. For anyone living with chronic illness, comfort is a precious commodity and Jamie’s invention is delivering it in spades.
The process is easy: peel off the backing, stick it over the port, open the lid, apply the cream, close the lid, and go about your day. Whether it’s a seatbelt pressing against it during the drive to the infusion center or a bra strap brushing against it, Port Protect stays put. It keeps the numbing cream where it belongs and prevents that inevitable mess. Then, when it’s time for the infusion, just peel it off. Simple. Practical. Game-changing.
A hug for your Port
But the true magic of Port Protect goes beyond its function. It’s in the lives it’s touching. Take, for instance, the little boy who uses Port Protect and lovingly refers to it as ‘a hug for my port.’ Imagine that—a device that makes a child feel safe, that turns what was once a source of anxiety into something comforting. For a kid fighting cancer using Port Protect, that kind of comfort is beyond valuable. It’s life-changing. Children, with their innocent wisdom, often reveal truths that adults miss. That boy’s simple statement—a hug for his port—speaks volumes. It captures the heart of Jamie’s creation. This medical device is an emotional balm for patients who have to deal with more than most people will ever face in a lifetime. In the infusion centers, Jamie has seen it all—adults struggling, children crying as they’re held down for port access and the all-too-familiar sight of plastic wrap sloppily covering ports, doing little to ease the pain. And that’s why she created Port Protect—to offer a much-needed solution to ease suffering.
Beyond the product
Jamie didn’t stop at just creating the product. Her mission is to help as many people as possible, particularly children. Port Protect, now patented, is making its way into hospitals, infusion centers and the lives of patients around the world. Doctors and nurses are noticing. Families are sharing their stories and slowly but surely, what started as the solution to personal frustration is becoming a movement for change.
But Jamie’s vision goes beyond just selling a product. She’s passionate about giving back. When a child needs Port Protect, Jamie often refunds the order. She believes no child should ever have to pay for something that can bring them comfort during such a difficult time. Port Protect is a business, but to Jamie, it’s also about kindness and making a difference in people’s lives when they need it most.
A future full of hope
Even as she battles with her own chronic illnesses, Jamie is determined to keep growing Port Protect. She dreams of working with nonprofit organizations, partnering with hospitals like St. Jude’s and making sure that this small, simple solution reaches every patient who needs it—whether they can afford it or not.
Jamie’s journey from attorney to inventor wasn’t one she ever anticipated, but it’s one that’s making waves in the medical world. Port Protect proves that even in the face of adversity, one person can make a world of difference.
So, here’s to Jamie and her brave, brilliant creation. Here’s to the small inventions that have a massive impact and here’s to the hugs—both literal and metaphorical—that we all need every once in a while, especially when life gets hard, especially when we’re sick and especially when something as simple as a peel-and-stick product can make all the difference in the world.
Here’s an Instagram reel of a little girl, happy with her Port Protect. Her mom shared with Jamie that this is the first time her little girl did not have a lidocane-meltdown.
Website: www.port-protect.com
Instagram: @portprotect
