The Negative Space

03/07/2026

Spring is coming! Get your Gertens order in today before the site closes on 3/30. The Negative Space receives 30% of all plants purchased and 15% of all gift cards. Thank you for supporting caregivers in this beautiful way. 🌼

www.gertensfundraising.com
Use code 952

03/06/2026

Meet Danielle:
♥️ Former caregiver for her husband, Jason, who had ALS
♥️ Caregiver for almost 4 years

"Life can be beautiful and ugly all at the same time. I had the privilege of caring for my husband for 3+ years after his ALS diagnosis. It was a slow-moving train as his body shut down, and this once independent human ultimately depended on me for everything. Brushing his teeth, scratching his nose, translating his words, helping him breathe. Even with his loss of speech and ability to hold my hand or hug me, we found ways to communicate and love each other. He never lost that glimmer in his eyes that melted me. He raised his eyebrows to make me laugh or let me know that I was out of sorts. His body was limp, heavy from immobility, and our home was a medical experiment, but his energy was love.

The hardest part of losing the love of my life has been adjusting to a world without him. Luckily, he shows up when I least expect it. While in the car, panicking about a social commitment for our son — literally losing it — the smell of my love's cologne filled the car out of nowhere. There are so many ways he continues to be present.

Be strong, my people. Be kind to yourselves. What you are doing in caring for others is big and important."

Join me in thanking Danielle for sharing her story with us. 💕

03/05/2026

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

This video from years ago is one example of us using humor to lighten a hard day full of medical appointments. For our next episode of the "In Sickness" podcast, we are going to focus on humor and how it can help us get through the day. We'd love to hear and include your comments of the role HUMOR plays in your caregiving life!!

Share in the comments below, send us a DM, or email us at hello@thenegativespace.life. By sharing, you give permission for us to include your story and your first name in the episode. If you would prefer that we leave your name out, please let us know. Please submit by Saturday, 3/7, at midnight. Thank you!

03/04/2026

Join us for a free virtual support group on Sunday, March 8 from 6-715pm CT where we'll talk about the topic of the latest episode of the "In Sickness" podcast: When Emotions are Contagious in Caregiving. Listening to the episode is NOT a pre-requisite for attending.

Hope to see you there!

Register at the link in bio.

03/03/2026

EPISODE 127: When Emotions Are Contagious in Caregiving

When we’re caring for someone, our moods and feelings can become intertwined. In this episode we discuss what it’s like when witnessing the suffering of our partners impacts our moods, when our own moods rub off on our loved ones and vice versa, and in general how emotions can feel contagious while caregiving.

Listen, share, and join us for a virtual support group on this topic on Sunday, March 8 from 6-715pm CT.

Listen: www.insickness.care
Register for group: https://thenegativespace.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/26964

03/02/2026

Grateful to have our work highlighted today on KARE 11!

Minnesotans caring for loved ones now receive no-cost support through a unique partnership, easing caregivers' emotional burdens with free resources and services.

02/28/2026

3 simple but powerful ways to support the people in your life living with or caring for a person with a rare disease.

Rare disease friends: what would you add? How can your people show up for you?

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02/28/2026

2.28 is Rare Disease Day! Caring for someone with a rare disease brings with it extra layers of complexity.

Check out this recent episode of the In Sickness podcast in which Allison shares her experiences caring for her husband, Sean, who has Fanconi anemia, a disease so rare there are less than 1,000 people in the US who share this diagnosis.

www.insickness.care

02/27/2026

I was grateful for the opportunity to speak at the Minnesota Cancer Alliance Summit this week about our new partnership with and to bring recognition and support to caregivers into health care spaces. There were tears in the eyes of participants as I showed examples of the signs that are now up in clinics and hospitals across the state. What a gift to be able to highlight the needs of caregivers in a space like this and to cause more ripples towards better caregiver support.

Thank you to the for the grant to launch this initiative and for including caregiving topics in your conference.

02/25/2026

Join us for this interactive webinar on caregiving!

Join Allison Breininger, the founder of The Negative Space, for an interactive session on the realities of being a caregiver.
You can register for this session and check out our other Lunch and Learn sessions here: https://braininjurymn.org/lunch-learn/

02/22/2026

Friday was an incredible day of providing recognition, gifts, and resources to 500 caregivers across the Twin Cities.

02/19/2026

Revolutionize: to change something radically or fundamentally

As a caregiver for my husband, I have spent much of the last 15 years in clinics, hospitals, radiation suites, and infusion rooms. Never have I seen an acknowledgement of my role and the impact it has on every aspect of my life...until now.

Starting tomorrow, 2/20 - National Caregivers Day, clinics, waiting rooms and infusion suites across the state of Minnesota will have signs like this one, recognizing and thanking caregivers for all they do and connecting them directly to the free support and resources of The Negative Space.

One caregiver said, "I never thought I'd see a day like this, where caregivers actually have a callout. Wow."

Another went between giggles and tears as she asked incredulously, "Is that really for me?"

We are so grateful for and for partnering with us on this first-of-its-kind initiative. We will be celebrating this launch with events at 8 clinics and hospitals across the metro tomorrow, National Caregivers Day.

Caregivers: what would it feel like if you saw a sign like this in a health care space?
Supporters: Interested in having signs like these at your organization? Let's talk!