Imagine a tiny white bunny that only weighs two pounds. Now imagine it hopping up boulders and snow fields all the way up to the top of mountains. Not just once. Not just twice. But over and over again.
Does this sound like fiction? It’s not.
Poppy Rose is New Hampshire hiker Bree Schuette’s pet and trail buddy, as well as the inspiration behind her bunny-themed children’s book and Etsy-store merchandise. This adorable rabbit with startling blue eyes has successfully summited all of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot peaks.
As cute and remarkable as Poppy Rose is, however, the real story of resilience in this family is that of her mother.
The real story: Bree Schuette’s fight for her life
Bree Schuette never set out to become an entrepreneur. Founding her own business wasn’t her childhood dream. Instead, she unlocked this achievement almost by accident during her quest to save her life.
Bree Schuette has relapsing polychondritis, a rare condition that requires highly specialized medical care. “It’s an autoimmune condition that systematically attacks the cartilage in the human body,” she says. “Until I developed relapsing polychondritis, I had no idea how much of the human body is made of cartilage, including the ears, eyes, heart, and lungs.”
Since so few people develop this condition, medical treatment for it is also difficult to acquire and very expensive. Schuette has been forced to leave New Hampshire and seek care at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
“Because relapsing polychondritis is so rare, not much money has been spent on finding innovative treatments for it,” Schuette explains. “This means doctors often have to think outside the box to find off-label treatment options. Meanwhile, insurance companies are often extremely reluctant to approve these costly treatments, which has often left me with no good choices. I have been pushed to the brink of financial ruin, simply trying to stay alive.”
This difficult situation motivated her to write a book about her pet, “Poppy Rose, The Hoppy Adventures of a Tiny Mountain Bunny.” “Each dollar raised helps pay for my shockingly high medical bills, as well as for other needs,” she explains.
The making of “Poppy Rose: The Hoppy Adventures of a Tiny Mountain Bunny”
Schuette’s inspiration for writing her children’s book came from seeing people react to Poppy Rose on the trail.
“One of my favorite mountain adventures was a hike to the Zealand Falls Hut,” she remembers. “We ran into a group of about 30 to 40 third- and fourth-graders on a field trip who lit up with joy when they saw Poppy Rose. We talked to each of them, took pictures, and Poppy Rose ate lots of crunchy red and orange autumn leaves. It took double or triple the usual hut hike time, but it brought everyone so much joy. During all our hikes, people ask questions and want to learn more about Poppy Rose and her story. Ultimately, it was a combination of seeing the joy she brought and this gentle peer pressure that encouraged me to tell her story to a broader audience.”
As any author will tell you, however, writing her story proved to be a challenge.
“Poppy Rose’s story of resilience and ‘hoppitude’ is important for all ages, so I wanted the book to transcend genres and different age groups,” Schuette explains. “Putting her story into universal language was not always easy. There were times when I struggled to put it all down. Telling her story was also hard because so much of it is personal and emotional for me. Some days when I wrote — especially about my son dealing so bravely with the death of his father from suspected COVID — I ended up in tears.
“It took me months. And, then suddenly the words tumbled out of me and I wrapped it up within a week as I was fighting for my life in the hospital with a severe infection.”
Schuette’s book proved to be so popular that readers clamored for more, which is how she came to sell Poppy Rose products on her Etsy store under the name Stepxstephikexhike.
Running a business from hospital rooms
“As our book sold, people have asked for other Poppy Rose items, like stickers and magnets,” Schuette explains. “Etsy was almost a default choice for me and Poppy Rose’s products. I always wanted to sell the products directly on a website, but I never had the funds to pay a designer to build one. That’s still on my wish list! Etsy checked many of the boxes for me and was also easy to use and functional. Ease of use is super important for me, since I often run my business from hospital rooms and doctors’ offices while I wait for my appointments.”
Schuette’s most popular item is her book. “One of the highlights of our week is getting cards and mail from people who have read the book and been touched by the story,” she says.
Her store also offers stickers, magnets, and greeting cards. “Picking out the images for these was so much fun,” Schuette says. “I hope more people will order these to add to Easter baskets.”
In addition, Schuette’s Etsy store sells digital images and prints. “One of my favorite images is Poppy Rose cleaning her tiny paws on a waterfall near Nancy Ponds,” Schuette says. “This is one of the most idyllic spots in the White Mountains. That day by the pond, munching on wild blueberries and splashing around, was one of Poppy’s favorite mountain days ever! Another favorite image of her is on a mountain path in a teeny, tiny sweater that was handmade for her measurements.”
Schuette’s GoFundMe campaign also helps defray the cost of her medical expenses.
Beacons of resilience
Poppy Rose is currently with Schuette at the Mayo Clinic. “She flew with me from Boston to Philadelphia to Minneapolis,” Schuette says. “She made so many new friends in the airports. People were surprised to see a tiny white bunny in her harness navigating the concourses.”
Poppy Rose also loves going for walks in the Mayo Clinic hospital’s Zen garden.
“On days when I am tired or want to give up the fight, I look over at Poppy Rose for inspiration,” Schuette says. “If a tiny, two-pound ball of fluff has accomplished everything she has, then I can do tough things too.”
Poppy Rose has become a symbol of resilience for everyone who learns not only about her remarkable hiking ability but also about her inspiring mom. Schuette remains undaunted in her fight against relapsing polychondritis. This spring and summer, she plans to give readings at schools and other organizations to spread bunny love and teach the power of “hoppitude.”
“The last few years have been so hard for so many of us,” Schuette says. “I believe we all need a little bit more joy and happiness in our life, and Poppy Rose is pure joy.”
