Elissa Hope Nigro was nicknamed “Giggles” at a young age for her quirky and contagious bursts of laughter that came alongside a kooky sense of humor. Elissa always lived up to her nickname, but it wasn’t until later in life that she embraced what the nickname would mean.

When Elissa laid in the hospital bed in the summer of 2023 battling the last of her litany of health issues, she asked her son to make something for her. After he expressed his struggle to figure out a design that would represent her spirit, she blurted out: “Just put ‘Giggle Through Sh*t’ on a shirt or something.”

After he made some shirts and hats, she loved it so much that she asked him to make pins to hand out to hospital staff. As Elissa battled the side effects of her bone marrow transplant in hopes of treating her Leukemia, she saw the pins when they arrived. But she was transferred to the ICU and sadly passed away before she was able to hand out the pins.

Through it all – Leukemia, liver cirrhosis, and the death of her daughters who were born prematurely – her “Giggle Through Sh*t” attitude helped her and loved ones keep a positive mindset.

This company is carrying on her mission as a for-profit social advocacy organization that seeks to spread laughter and raise awareness for people struggling and professionals who work with them.