Christa and Jamie Bragg are sitting in the boardroom of Dartmouth-based Braemed Limited, a medical equipment supply company founded by their late father Frank Bragg, a man they remember for both his entrepreneurship and his love for life.
Frank Bragg
As Christa wrote in his obituary – “Frank will truly be remembered for his generosity, his glass-half-full attitude, his infectious laugh, great hair, and ability to make everyone feel so comforted, valued and loved. He was a mentor to many, and a gentleman to all.”
“Dad loved to work and he loved to play,” says Jamie. “And he did both very well.”
Frank Bragg grew up in Newfoundland, where his first job was as a Phys Ed Teacher. He soon found his home in the world of medical sales, working his way up the ladder at several companies before establishing his own, Braemed, with his wife Linda in 1990.
“He even included us as kids to come up with a name for the company,” remembers Christa. “Mom was with him from the get-go, and they started out of our house. He just remade himself at that point and things grew from there.”
Braemed now has ten employees and covers the Atlantic Provinces.
“I think what keeps us going is his memory and his legacy here,” says Christa.
Frank Bragg died in December of 2024, after battling leukemia for over two years. Linda, Jamie and Christa wanted to give back in his memory, and for the care Frank received at Dartmouth General Hospital. Their personal and professional lives came together when they approached the DGH Foundation with a generous donation of three “cuddle beds” for the Hospital’s palliative care unit.
“We sell the cuddle beds, so I’d known a lot of really nice stories from families,” says Jamie. “I find I almost tear up when I’m presenting the bed to a new customer. Our experience made it that much more impactful and made it more personal for me.”
Christa and Jamie Bragg with a cuddle bed.
The name “cuddle bed,” like Frank Bragg himself, originated in Newfoundland and Labrador where there were early trials for use in a palliative care environment.
“They can be used as a regular medical bed,” says Jamie. “But the weight capacity is almost double what a regular medical bed would be, and the great thing is it expands at the push of a button.”
That increased size and weight capacity allows partners or family members to “cuddle,” to lie down beside one another when it matters the most.
“Human touch is so important, when you’re born and when you leave this world,” says Christa. “The one thing my Mom wanted was to get beside Dad, and she did, but it wasn’t comfortable so it couldn’t last long.”
Frank and Linda Bragg with family.
The inspiration for the cuddle bed campaign at Dartmouth General began with the family of Steve Conrad, who died in palliative care at the Hospital in October of last year. The Bragg family immediately wanted to help, by matching all community donations with the goal of bringing six cuddle beds to the Hospital. That generosity, combined with incredible community support, now means there’s a possibility of expanding the Palliative Care Unit past six beds.
“It’s amazing, a bit overwhelming actually,” says Jamie.
Christa agrees. “It means a lot,” she says. “It makes me so emotional because I know that’s what Dad would want. It’s really special that we’re taking his legacy and helping other families experiencing such a difficult time.”
