Every new patient receiving chemotherapy treatment at the Northeast Cancer Centre receives a present — a beautiful afghan or quilt hand-made by a volunteer.
The blankets keep the patients warm during their treatments — the drugs feel cold as they're going through their system, and the chemotherapy room itself can be a little chilly at times.
Unfortunately, the cupboard at the Northern Cancer Foundation where the blankets are kept is currently a bit bare.
During a recent visit by Sudbury.com, there were only three blankets left. On busy days, volunteers at the cancer centre can hand out eight or nine.
That's why Northern Cancer Foundation volunteer adviser Angela Corsi-Raso, who co-ordinates the blanket donation program, is putting a call-out to the community.
She's asking for people to knit or crochet afghans with a minimum size of 40 inches by 56 inches (enough to cover an adult from shoulders to toes). Be sure to pay attention to this requirement, as smaller blankets aren't useable.
They can also knit eight-inch squares that are later sewn into blankets — it takes about 35 of these squares to make a blanket.
One lady even makes quilts for the cancer patients.
The program is also low on yarn — which is provided to the volunteer knitters and crocheters — so Corsi-Raso asks people for donations of yarn or monetary donations to cover the cost of yarn.
She said her current group of knitters and crocheters are aging and dwindling in number, so she's hoping to find some fresh recruits.
Rita Stringer, whose husband Don Stringer has been receiving treatments for colon cancer at the Northeast Cancer Centre since 2013, said participating in the blanket program is her way of giving back.
She takes the squares knitted by other people and hand-sews them into afghans for cancer patients — this takes her about eight hours per blanket.
Stringer said she's also enlisted the help of several relatives and friends for the project. Her group has completed 255 blankets since 2015, and Stringer herself has done 125.
“My goal is to keep them comfortable and maybe bring them some happiness when they look at this blanket,” said Stringer.
When patients arrive for their chemotherapy treatment, they're often scared, said Northeast Cancer Centre volunteer Olga Bradley.
Receiving the gift of a hand-made blanket cheers them up a bit, she said. Bradley, who's been volunteering at the cancer centre for 14 years, hands out the afghans in the chemotherapy room.
“I think people are so traumatized coming in here, and then all of a sudden they're receiving presents,” she said.
“The majority of patients will come back with their quilt and use it for the duration of their treatment … We have had people who have written thank you cards and asked me to deliver them.”
Anyone interested in getting involved in the program or making a donation is asked to contact Corsi-Raso at 705-523-7179, ext. 5 or [email protected].
Donations can be dropped off in the Northern Cancer Foundation office, which is located near the welcome desk at the cancer centre.
