Kathy’s Care Cards was founded in 2003 by Kathy Boston, a nurse from Westerville, Ohio. The idea came to her while she was training for Race for the Cure and thinking of her friends going through different stages of cancer. She was frustrated that she could not find cards that said "just the right thing" to send to these women who continued to work, care for husbands and children, manage homes and do all the things that most women do. A simple get-well card would not do.

Kathy wanted her friends to know that she understood they were battling for their lives. She wanted to send a card that offered compassion, support and comfort. She needed to recognize her friends’ strength and determination.

Kathy wanted cards that said “just the right thing” and knew in her heart she could write them. Kathy’s Care Cards was born.

When writing Kathy’s Care Cards, Kathy drew on her experience. As a nurse, she observed that patients have a more positive recovery when they had family or friends to support them, especially when afflictions were discussed openly. Therefore, it was important that Kathy’s Care Cards state the life-altering event in the text or, at that it at the very least, be a strong undertone of each card.

Kathy’s friend, Ed, who had lost his wife to breast cancer, offered his watercolors for the first line of cancer cards. Sure that his pictures would be positive and encouraging to others suffering from health-altering conditions, Kathy utilized Ed’s paintings in his late wife's name.

Soon other artists began to follow suit, wanting to donate their artwork as a way of expressing their connection to a life-altering event. The inside of each Care Card includes a bio for each artist, including his or her connection to the purpose behind the card. Some artists are children for a special line, Kathy's Kid's Cards.

As the company grew, Kathy maintained her insistence that everyone involved in the company—artists, illustrators, writers, printers, lawyers, accountants, distributors, etc.—has personally experienced a health-altering event or been touched through the experience of a loved one.

Now, Kathy’s Care Cards vision extends beyond giving and receiving cards, there is great emphasis on promoting health screenings. With more than 20 years of medical experience, Kathy has witnessed how SCREENINGS SAVE LIVES. She has made Kathy’s Care Cards a vehicle for promoting health-related education and information.

As a nurse, Kathy wanted to give back to her profession. Nurses impact the lives of everyone. The Heart of Nursing Foundation was created to support the education of current and future nurses. A portion of each Kathy’s Care Cards product sold benefits the "Heart of Nursing Foundation" and direct donations are also accepted.