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Breast cancer awareness became something very close to me when just a year after retirement (Out the door in '04), my mother discovered through her own self-exam, a lump in her breast.
She was subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer, and two months later had a mastectomy.
She was a candidate for the Oncotype DX® - Breast Recurrence Score® Test (Oncotype DX is a test that predicts how likely breast cancer is to spread to somewhere else in the body (secondary breast cancer) within 10 years of diagnosis, in people who will be taking hormone therapy for at least five years) and was the first for her insurance to process the claim. The results indicated that further treatment was not necessary. Yippeee!!!!
Prior to the surgery and as quickly afterwards, her fitness routine included 5 miles on a bike and 5 miles walking everyday. I know that her attention to diet and exercise is paying off. What a testimony for all of us to observe.
Here she is running with her sister in the Hot Chocolate Run. Their father (my grandfather) was an olympic level track athlete back in the 1920s so after her diagnosis they started doing these benefits runs together. Such a great opportunity to spend quality time together.
For my 40th birthday I decided to try to raise $4000 for the American Cancer Society through the Relay for Life Event in Walla Walla, WA. We walked for 24 hours ....many helped!! This was the first lap (the fabric lei got another swatch of fabric tied to it for every runner. My mother joined me as well as another cancer survivor --someone who had been instrumental in bringing me to my job in the area at the time - Jon Dybdahl. I later met my now husband ....it was all in God's timing!
As a therapeutic distraction I encouraged my mom to quilt. Here she is with one that won a ribbon at a local show...and I got to quilt it for her!
She got involved with Bosom Buddies of Arizona and prior to the pandemic she was the East Mesa facilitator.
Here we are at my wedding reception in 2009. I love this one! So grateful she was able to be there.
For several years I was an Island Batik Ambassador and have had the privliege to design many quilts with Island Batik fabrics for their catalogs. I now carry several collections, kits, various blenders and neutrals in my shop. The two pre-cut collections they have curated to support Pinktober are lovely and I do have limited quantity.
Purchase yours now from my shop! You'll find them on page 2 and page 3 ....but this link takes you to all of my Island Batik fabrics. If you just need a fabulous pink fabric yardage to go with it -- Bubblegum goes great with it all.
I chose to work with the Positively Pink 10" square stack collection and came up with my Positive Attitude design.
I made a faux-piped binding using some of the medium values from the 10" square stack.
This said it all.....so grateful she is thriving today!
Grateful for the many adventures we've been able to have with my mom and hope to still have in the future.
Another organization she has been leading out with is It's My Very Own - Bags of Love Chapter in Apache Junction, AZ. Here she is being interviewed for a video piece about the organization.
This last summer she spent her 80th birthday walking through Hezekiah's tunnel in Israel. She's still doing great and feel so blessed to still have her in our lives.
If you'd like this version of the pattern ...made with 10" squares and background, binding and backing yardage you can pick it up for a special deal - $3 here.
Here is a tip for pressing with a gridded design like this.
Detail of the quilting - front/back using the Love & Support pantograph printed by Urban Elementz.
Unfortunately her sister was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and we lost her in 2019.
When my aunt was first diagnosed I was making these table runners ....so it seemed the perfect (purple is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness) item to send to her.
She was a woman of prayer so I made this jelly roll rug for her during this difficult time.
The 'joins' of each strip leave the opportunity to make a half square triangle which I then made into this generous sized mug rug.
A few years ago I was made aware that the wife of a pastor who had previously been instrumental in maintaining the church where we were living was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had this fabric curated in my stash and a pattern just waiting to be made for the occasion. This seemed to be it. I put minky on the back and used leftover bits from the front for the joining seam on the back.
Portugal - 2019 w/my sister and mom (center)
She loves a son-in-law sandwich :-)
I've just returned from Iceland where I also saw that they are promoting breast cancer awareness.
Interested in this pattern that will include yardage methods vs. 10" stack methods? Stay tuned for details as I'm making it up in another colorway and fabric collection and hope to have the pattern out soon. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to stay informed as to when it will be available. If you leave a comment below about your interest as long as your email is attached to the comment I can be sure you get a notification of its availability!
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