Healing Hands Wound Care

06/16/2026

06/11/2026

🌟 CNA Week Appreciation Special! 🌟
CNAs are often the first to notice the subtle changes that can make all the difference in a patient's outcome.
A change in skin color. A new complaint of pain. A little more swelling. A small difference that others may miss.
These observations matter.
At S.H.A.D.E.S. of Care™, we believe that early recognition saves tissue and early recognition saves lives. That's why we're honoring the dedicated CNAs who serve as the eyes, ears, and heart of patient care every day.
💛 CNA Week Special 📅 June 11–17
✨ Bundle 1: $19.99 (Regularly $23.99) ✨ Bundle 2: $24.99 (Regularly $29.99) ✨ Complimentary 15-minute implementation consultation ✨ Free shipping on all CNA Week orders
Whether you're a CNA, wound care nurse, educator, or facility leader, these practical tools were designed to support confident skin assessment and improve patient outcomes.
Because every patient deserves to be seen. Because every shade deserves expert care.
🛒 Shop now: www.shadesofcareguide.com⁠�

06/07/2026

🎉 Healing Hands Wound Care Celebrates 4 Years 🎉

Today marks the 4-year anniversary of Healing Hands Wound Care, and my heart is full of gratitude.

Four years ago, I launched Healing Hands with a vision to improve patient outcomes, advance equitable wound care, and create meaningful employment opportunities within healthcare.

Since then, we have been blessed to touch thousands of patients, support families, create jobs, build partnerships, and make a lasting impact in the communities we serve. Every patient encounter, every clinician supported, and every lesson learned has been part of an incredible journey.

As I reflect on these four years, I've had a powerful realization:

Healing Hands Wound Care didn't just build a company—it cultivated a mission that continues to grow.

What began in Illinois as a vision to improve wound care outcomes for patients has grown into a movement that is reaching clinicians, educators, and healthcare professionals far beyond state lines—and increasingly across the globe.

One of the greatest outcomes of this journey has been the development of S.H.A.D.E.S. of Care™, a framework created to help clinicians better identify pressure injuries and assess skin of color.

What started as bedside experience and a passion for equitable care has evolved into an educational resource with the potential to reach clinicians, nursing students, educators, healthcare organizations, and future generations of healthcare professionals.

A wound care company can impact thousands of patients.

An educational framework that changes clinical practice can influence generations of healthcare professionals and the countless patients they will serve.

The race may look different than I once imagined, but the destination remains the same:

💜 Equitable wound care
💜 Better patient outcomes
💜 Greater opportunities within healthcare
💜 Improved access, education, and prevention

As Healing Hands enters its fifth year, I am filled with excitement for what's ahead. The foundation we've built is creating opportunities to expand our impact in ways I never imagined when this journey began.

Thank you to every patient, clinician, educator, employee, partner, supporter, family member, and friend who has been part of this story. Your belief, encouragement, and trust have helped make this mission possible.

Here's to four years of purpose, growth, and impact—and to the next chapter of Healing Hands Wound Care.

✨ What started in Illinois is now reaching educators and clinicians across the globe. The mission remains the same. The impact is growing. ✨

With gratitude,

Valerie Crenshaw-Townes, RN, WCC
Founder & CEO
Healing Hands Wound Care

06/05/2026

Traditional pressure injury assessment tools often fail to account for the wide range of skin tones seen in diverse patient populations. This presentation will guide participants through the six-step S.H.A.D.E.S. approach - Seeing Color and Beyond, Hands-On Assessment, Add Moisture, Differentiate from Normal, Edema, and Spot Subtle Changes - emphasizing visual, tactile, and patient-reported indicators of skin compromise. Attendees will learn to distinguish normal variations from early tissue injury, integrate moisture management and repositioning strategies, and apply culturally competent assessment practices within interdisciplinary care teams. The S.H.A.D.E.S. Wound Care Handbook & Quick Reference Guide, developed by Healing Hands Wound Care, introduces a practical and inclusive framework to help clinicians move beyond color-based cues and accurately identify early signs of pressure injuries in darker skin tones. Learning Objectives: 1. Identify Early Indicators of Pressure Injuries in Darker Skin Tones. 2. Apply the S.H.A.D.E.S. Assessment Steps in Clinical Wound Practice. 3. Differentiate Between Normal and Abnormal Skin Findings Across Diverse Skin Tones. 4. Collaborate Across Care Roles to Prevent Pressure Injuries. 5. Integrate Moisture Management and Repositioning Techniques to Maintain Skin Integrity.

05/28/2026

Tonight was a powerful reminder of why S.H.A.D.E.S of Care™ was created.
I had the opportunity to connect with wound care nurse practitioners and wound care clinicians during an educational dinner focused on advancing patient care and clinical awareness across all skin tones.
Some of the most meaningful conversations came from clinicians openly sharing the real challenges they face when assessing pressure injuries and skin changes in darker skin tones — and the need for more practical educational tools and resources.
One conversation especially stayed with me: A clinician shared that she recently missed a pressure injury in a dark-skinned patient because she “honestly didn’t have the tools.”
That moment reinforced something I have believed for years: Education matters. Representation matters. Assessment accuracy matters.
S.H.A.D.E.S of Care™ was created to help bridge those educational gaps through practical bedside tools, clinical education, and culturally responsive skin assessment resources.
Grateful for every conversation, every connection, and every healthcare professional committed to improving equitable wound care outcomes.
Because every shade deserves expert care. 🤎

05/26/2026

Whew... this humbles me
Seeing visitors from multiple countries viewing the S.H.A.D.E.S of Care" platform reminds me that the need for equitable skin assessment education is truly global
What started as a vision rooted in awareness advocacy, and education continues to grow beyond what I imagined
Every conversation, every guide, every toolkit, and every connection matters.
Grateful for every person supporting this mission to help close educational gaps in wound care across ALL skin tones.
Because every shade deserves expert care

05/22/2026

Come join me at the HEAL Conference 2026 for an interactive conversation about S.H.A.D.E.S of Care™ and how we can continue closing educational gaps in skin assessment across ALL skin tones through awareness, earlier recognition, and equitable wound care practices. ✨

These conversations matter.
These patients matter.
This work matters. 💙

05/22/2026

I’m incredibly grateful for the support and acknowledgment S.H.A.D.E.S of Care™ continues to receive from respected voices within wound care education. 💛
When experienced clinicians speak openly about the educational gaps surrounding skin assessment across diverse skin tones, it reinforces why this work matters so deeply.
S.H.A.D.E.S of Care™ was created to promote earlier recognition, practical assessment education, and equitable patient care for ALL skin tones.
Thank you, Cheryl Carver, for your thoughtful words, your advocacy, and your continued commitment to education and patient outcomes. ✨
This mission is bigger than a product.
It’s about awareness, education, and improving care.

05/21/2026

✨✨ NOW ACCEPTING ORDERS ✨
We are excited to officially announce that the S.H.A.D.E.S of Care™ website is now LIVE and accepting orders! 🤎
The S.H.A.D.E.S of Care™ Pocket Guide + Care Cards Bundle was created to support clinicians in recognizing pressure injuries in skin of color through practical, real-world assessment education beyond visible redness.
Designed for: ✔️ Nurses
✔️ CNAs
✔️ Wound Care Teams
✔️ Educators
✔️ Long-Term Care Facilities
✔️ Hospitals & Healthcare Organizations
These tools were created with one mission in mind:
➡️ Earlier recognition
➡️ Equitable assessment
➡️ Better patient outcomes
Thank you to everyone who has supported, encouraged, shared feedback, and believed in this vision. This is more than a product — it’s a movement toward more inclusive and informed patient care.
🛒 Orders can now be placed directly through our website:
🌐 www.shadesofcareguide.com⁠�