1. science
2. medicine
3. surgery

About BFFL Co
BFFL Co was founded in 2011 by Elizabeth Chabner Thompson, MD, MPH, a radiation oncologist trained at Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine and the Harvard Hospital System. After many years of treating cancer patients, Dr.
Chabner Thompson realized that these and other patients had requirements beyond just the clinical. They needed to
feel cared for, comfortable and empowered. Above all, they needed to be treated in a way that preserved their dignity.
BFFL Co’s mission is to develop products and services that improve the patient experience before, during and after
hospitalization in a way that preserves dignity and enhances recovery while maintaining the highest ethical standards
and transparency.
What Is the Axilla·Pilla®?
The axilla·pilla® , pronounced ak-zil-uh, is a 9”x10” heart-shaped pillow named for the medical term for armpit, the place
where a lymph node sampling is done for breast cancer. We designed the axilla•pilla® in response to the many
complaints from patients about post-surgery chafing, soreness and pressure in the axillary, or underarm, area.
Our pillow contains thousands of tiny virgin polystyrene microbeads and is covered in a soft yet flexible nylon/Lycra
stretch fabric making it cool to the touch, yet cozy and soft. Because the microbeads move around but don’t collect or
clump in one place, this pillow conforms to your body as you use it while also retaining its shape when you put it aside.
The axilla·pilla® is available in both plain and branded versions. BFFL Co is happy to add custom logos, directions or other
design fits to fit your hospital’s needs.
How Can the Axilla·Pilla® Be Used?
Patients have found success using the pillow in almost any situation:
• Relieving chafing, soreness and pressure in the
underarm area
• Bracing after any cardiac, thoracic (lung), abdominal,
orthopedic, or “female” surgery, which require
vertical or horizontal incisions
• Providing comfort to patients undergoing
chemo, who must sit for hours
• Supporting newborns as a nursing pillow
• Alleviating pressure from seat belts
• Providing lower back and lumbar support
• Cradling the neck
• And more!
Value Proposition
Over 15 hospitals including Yale, Mt. Sinai, Cedars-Sinai, University of South Alabama, St. Luke’s Roosevelt, Montefiore, St.
Johns Riverside and University of Maryland have purchased BFFL Co products to give to patients, and all report
overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients, families and staff members. Our products increase patient
satisfaction,
reduce readmission rates and minimize lost items for patients. Sending a patient home with an axilla·pilla®
ensures a smooth transition from hospital to home.