| Have a Heart for a Breast
Cancer Patient
 Since
February 2002, Girl Scouts have made more than 3,600 heart-shaped
pillows for women being treated for breast cancer at M. D.
Anderson Cancer Center and for the American Cancer Society’s
“Reach to Recovery” program. These simple 13”
by 16” heart-shaped pillows provide immeasurable comfort,
both physically and emotionally, and are greatly appreciated
by the patients. If your troop would like to make one, the
instructions are below.
More than 250 mini-heart pillow pins were given out at the
Girl Scout Power of a Promise Breakfast in November. The mini-heart
pillow pin symbolizes this ongoing service project. These
pins were handmade by members of GSSJC’s Breast Cancer
Awareness Committee, breast cancer survivors and their families
(including grandmother/mother/daughter–three generations
of Girls Scouts), as well as breast cancer patients being
treated at M. D. Anderson.
The pink daisy on the mini-heart pillow pin is stitched in
honor of Juliette (Daisy) Low, founder of Girl Scouts, who
died in 1927 from breast cancer. In her day, the words “breast”
and “cancer” were not used in polite company.
Not until 1996 was it shared with Girl Scouts around the world
that Juliette had died of breast cancer. Soon thereafter,
GSSJC formed the Breast Cancer Awareness Committee, the first
of its kind.
| Heart Pillow Directions
- Materials Needed: cheerful colored
fabric; needle and thread; sewing machine; pattern
- draw outline of a heart to be 16 1/2” wide
by 13 1/2” top to bottom, stuffing material
(new polyester fiberfill). Girls may take a legal
size folder/paper and draw a pattern of 1/2 heart,
8 1/4” x 13 1/2” and place on folded material
and cut or folded paper to make pattern. Draw your
heart pattern (16 1/2 ” wide by 13 1/2”)
by folding paper in half before cutting to make it
symmetrical.
- Cut two pieces of fabric the same
size to match your heart pattern.
- Place right sides of the cut fabric
together.
- Stitch together on sewing machine
leaving an 1/2 seam, with a small area open (about
2”); use small stitches for stable seam.
- Trim seams. Turn right sides out,
and press with iron if needed.
- Stuff with new polyester fiberfill
material. Note: Please do not stuff too firmly –
these pillows need to be cuddly!
- Neatly, with small stitches, sew the
opening closed.
- Add buttons or decoration if desired!
Quality Control:
Leaders ensure that the pillows your troop makes are
of the highest quality! Make sure all pins and needles
are removed, seams are complete and strong, and pillows
are not stuffed too tightly.
Deliver to: Deban Becker, 3110 Southwest
Freeway, Houston, TX 77098. For further information
on this project, contact Deban Becker at 713-292-0203,
800-392 |
Junior Troop #5284 earns its Leadership
Award by giving service to the community. One of the
service projects was sewing pillows for M.D. Anderson
cancer patients.
Troop #10864 makes heart pillows
for cancer patients
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