Meet Our Ultimate Warrior Blanket Recipients 7/3/2013
June proved to be another busy month. Not only did we distribute 11 more blankets, we also had great exposure! The month started with the Second Annual BoobieQ which raised $700 for American Cancer Society and Project Chemo Crochet. We participated in the ACS Relay for Life of Eastern Montgomery County and met some great people who renewed our passion for the cause. Lastly, Project Chemo Crochet hit the corporate world thanks to Dell Boomi who will be adopting our project during the summer quarter months by learning to crochet squares and finishing at least one blanket. It was a fun 2 days for me going in and teaching these folks how to crochet and they proved to be quick learners. I look forward to having many more experiences during the summer as I take a vacation from teaching math and begin teaching crocheting. :)
With over 600 FB followers it’s never too late to start spreading the word of our cause. Let me share just one quick story with you. I received a very special box in the mail two weeks ago. It was filled with some yarn and squares but more importantly a letter. This letter was sent to me by a woman named Cindy. Cindy saw our flyer on a hospital bulletin board at a location 2 hours away from Pink Warriors, Inc headquarters. She said that it caught her attention because of the title but as she continued reading, she saw my mom’s picture and the words “In loving memory of Gloria Marianne Dow.” She got goosebumps because she knew the name and the woman in the picture, it was her daughter’s favorite elementary teacher from years ago. Cindy knew she had to give back in memory of my mom who gave her so much through the teaching of her daughter. After crocheting a few squares, she packed up the box including the squares, yarn, her letter, and then a handwritten letter from her daughter, my mother’s student.
The moral of the story is this...you never know where or when someone can be touched by our work. Please help us spread the word. Print our flyer from the site and hang it wherever you work or give it to someone who know. Or better yet, nominate someone you know currently battling this disease called cancer. Once blanket, one square, can go a long way.
Karen has recently undergone a double mastectomy for breast cancer. Her friend Deirdre describes Karen as a true fighter. Deirdre nominated her friend for this blanket knowing that it would speak volumes about the love and support that is surrounding her through this journey.
Peg has been battling colon cancer since last September. She recently had surgery to remove tumors and will now be going through more rounds of radiation and chemo once again. Her friend Carol knows that is has been a very long battle for Peg but she is on the road to recovery!
Felipe is a 4th grader at Willow Dale Elementary in Warminster who has been battling leukemia. He has been out of school most of the school year while receiving treatments but his classmates wanted to show him support by sending a blanket. Jill, an avid square crocheter and classmate, was thrilled to be able to send Felipe a blanket containing many squares she and her family have made. She can see how her dedication to this cause really can make a difference. We hope Felipe feels the love through his beautiful blanket.
Debbie is the grandmother of 2 little girls and mother of 3. She was a physical education teacher for over 15 years at a local catholic school. Debbie was diagnosed with breast cancer approximately 2 ½ years ago. Recently she has found out that the cancer has spread through her body and will soon be starting radiation and chemo. Her friend Donna and her family wanted Debbie to receive a blanket so that she can feel the warmth and love as she begins her climb up this rather large hill that has seemed to appear in her life. Keep climbing Debbie!
Eric is a 14 year old boy who has been battling brain cancer since he was 9. He has had many surgeries and treatments throughout his short life. He is about to embarked on another series of chemotherapy for the cancer which seems to keep coming back. He is a brave young boy who is preparing for high school next September.
Ellen, who I met a Relay for Life, stuck out to me form the moment I saw her. It was during the survivor lap that I walked with my husband and daughter while we carried my mom’s Relay Survivor shirt from last year. It wasn’t Ellen’s lack of hair or her cane that made me notice her but rather the fact she she was pushing herself to finish that lap. She took breaks along the way but made sure she finished. She reminded me of my mom last year. My mom was in so much pain she couldn’t even stand during the speeches yet she finished that quarter mile lap! She was and always will be a fighter and I saw that spirit in Ellen. As I spoke with her a little later, she didn’t want to talk about her fight with breast cancer but rather the son she lost many years ago to leukemia. She was not there for herself, but rather in memory of her son. What an amazing person, deserving of an amazing gift!
Sue was nominated by a fellow church member. She has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and will be starting treatments in the next week. She is very elderly and has lost her husband to cancer. Her church community knows that a blanket should be something very special to Sue.
Browyn is a beautiful 5 year old girl who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. She has been spending many of her days at CHOP undergoing chemotherapy which will make her body stronger in order to receive a bone marrow transplant within the next few months. She is showing signs of improvement through the medication which is actually giving her more energy. Browyn received a bright yellow blanket that will remind her that she a beautiful golden ray of sunshine in the hearts and lives of so many. Our thoughts and prayers are with Browyn and her family throughout this journey.
James of Pittsburgh has been battling cancer for 10 years. About a month ago, when he was reaching his remission celebration date, the doctors found a new tumors in Jimmy’s lymph nodes. He and his wife, both in their fifties, have taken custody of their 4 year old grandchild and are raising her as their own. This is just one example of how he always gives for his family, therefore his family wanted to give back to him. As his niece has written, “My uncle is such a strong, loving man who stands by his family and tries so hard to make sure everyone else is okay.” We hope the blanket serves as a reminder that we hope he is okay as well.
Renee, who resides in California, went to the emergency room for a sinus infection and got news she never thought she would hear...cancer. After an emergency surgery, chemo, and 35 rounds of radiation there hasn’t been too much progress. She has had to give up her position as Chaplin of the local Blue Star Group (military) and was not able to see her grandson before he was deployed to the Middle East. Her family now cares for her as Renee has cared for so many others in her life. Her daughter says this about her mother, “She is such a strong lady...I sometimes feel helpless when I see my mother who was so healthy and young become so weak...This disease is horrible, but my mom is committed to the fight.”
JoAnne was absolutely thrilled and cried when she received her beautiful blanket from the Pink Warriors. Her friend Judy wrote a letter nominating JoAnne for a blanket to comfort her during this difficult time. She knows that JoAnne is strong and will be able to fight this terrible disease but a little extra love from a blanket would be perfect.
