Continuing to Provide Comfort and Warmth

Layers of  Love is very proud of the fact that not only have we collected a large amount of brand new fleece blankets to give to cancer centers in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but behind the scenes we have also donated blankets to every person who has contacted us privately.

Although we are not always active on twitter or our facebook wall on a daily basis, we continue to strive to help as many chemotherapy patients as we possibly can. We have made it our goal that we will not stop collecting blankets until there are no more chemotherapy patients to provide comfort and warmth to in the form of a brand new fleece blanket.

We recently received this generous donation of brand new fleece blankets from Girl Scout Troop 318 in Crestview Florida.  We are very appreciative of all their hard work in not only putting the  blankets together but raising the funds to purchase the kits.  The blankets are beautiful!  Thank you!

If you would like to donate and aren’t sure how to get started here’s a few easy ways you can join us in helping chemotherapy patients:

• Click the links on our sidebar, these will take you to blankets that we recommend for patients.  You don’t have to order from those links, you can purchase a kit from a local store in your area and simple mail it out to us.
• We collect both adult-sized and child-sized blankets.
• We recommend 72 inch blankets for adults and 48 inch for children.
• Don’t know how or don’t have the time to put together a blanket but still would like to purchase one?  No problem, you can have it shipped directly to us and we will put it together for you!
• Did you know that simply by sharing our website or our facebook page you can help us in a BIG way?  The more people we can reach and spread our mission to, that translates into more blanket donations which in turn helps  more cancer patients.
• Involved with a community group and would like to donate blankets to us?  We’ve worked with many community groups and can guide you through the whole process.  It’s easy and a lot of fun for everyone involved.  Simply email us at donations@layersoflove.net and we will work out all the details with you and your group.

All of this would not be possible without the generous donations we have received from people all over the United States and across the globe from as far away as Ireland.  We thank you all for your donations. 

Happy Father’s Day

As I celebrate Father’s Day this year, I am so grateful that my father has survived his bout with stage 3 colon cancer. And as of today, he is cancer free and in great health.

I started Layers of Love with two simple things in mind: a need and a passion.  In my Welcome post on February 24, 2010, I outlined both.

“The first time I sat with my parents in the waiting room of the Cooper Cancer Institute, I was struck by not just the number of patients who walked through the door, but by how many of them carried a tote bag with a fleece blanket tucked inside.

As my mom and I walked my dad in for his appointment, the reason became apparent – the temperature in the treatment room dropped considerably. The first thing my dad said as he settled into his chair was, “I sure wish I brought my blanket with me…it’s cold in here!” Not only is the room kept cooler, but as we all soon learned, being cold is a side effect of chemotherapy.

While hospital blankets are of course provided, they are the standard, thin sort. Hardly the type I’d imagine would provide any real warmth and comfort. Judging by the blankets other patients chose to bring, fleece is the fabric of choice.”

Thus, the idea was born. I felt incredibly helpless to my dad while he was in the battle of his life. I knew I had to do something; I wanted to do something for him, for everyone in that treatment room.  So over a year later, I still have that passion, while my dad is doing great there are so many patients, dads, grandpas, uncles, brothers, mothers, sisters, grandmothers, daughters who are not doing as well.  They are still battling this terrible disease, still in need of comfort and warmth as they go through their treatment.  Going through these treatments is not easy.

There are many patients who do not have a support system.  They are battling this disease alone.  It’s amazing what a difference a simple fleece blanket can make to a patient.  So on this Father’s Day, I pay tribute to my Dad by continuing to collect donated blankets for chemotherapy patients.  As long as there are chemotherapy patients we will be doing our best to collect blankets to supply to keep them comforted and warm as they go through their treatment.

So to my dad I say Happy Father’s Day, I love you.  In honor of you, Layers of Love, my passion continues to go on.

Lending Support

Live your life from your heart. Share from your heart. And your story will touch and heal people’s souls.
~ Melody Beattie

Lending support.  Encouraging words can make all the difference in the world,  just ask someone who has been on the receiving end of those words.  Our mission here at Layers of Love is simple: Comforting chemotherapy patients one blanket at a time.  We have been collecting blankets to give to chemotherapy patients to provide them with comfort and warmth as they are going through their treatment for cancer, my goal has aways been to give them this comfort, at a time in their lives, when perhaps they will need it most.  It’s not only about having a warm blanket, it’s about knowing they are not alone in their fight against this terrible disease.

So that brings us to our new campaign.  This photograph below is an example of the tags we attach to every blanket we donate to a chemotherapy patient.

Layers of Love Blanket Tags

We are looking to add something to our tags.  We are looking for cancer survivors who wish to lend their encouragement.  How can cancer survivors help us?  Send us a short bio on their success in fighting the disease.  What encouraging words did you hear while fighting cancer?  What or who helped you to fight even harder?  How are you doing now?  You can send us whatever you would like to add along with the short bio, perhaps a photo of yourself, or your family.  We are asking for just one or two paragraphs, (or more if you see fit)  it can be hand written or typed out, in a card, or on a piece of paper.  It’s your story feel free to share it any way you would like.   Tell your story.

We would like to attach your bio along with our tag to a blanket we are going to donate, if you are an adult it will go on an adult blanket, if you are under 18 it will go on a children sized blanket. Your story will only be added to one blanket.  Our goal is simple, we want to connect survivors to current patients.  We want to give hope from cancer survivors to patients who are currently battling cancer.  We want to connect that line of hope, when chemotherapy patients need it the most.

A donated blanket ready for a chemotherapy patient

If you are a cancer survivor and would like to give encouragement and hope to a current chemotherapy patient we appreciate your help.  You can send us your short bio, your story, photograph, whatever you would like to share with a patient to our email at: layersoflove1@gmail.com or donations@layersoflove.net  Or you can send it by tradition mail service to:

Layers of Love

665 Pine St.

Palmerton, Pa. 18071

We are very excited here at Layers of Love to start this campaign!  We are sure that by connecting cancer survivors with those who are currently battling cancer that it will give hope at a time in their lives when perhaps they need it the most. Simple words on a piece of paper can make all the difference in the world.

I love sharing my story. It’s endlessly healing. 
~Ben Vereen

We are always collecting homemade fleece blankets, as long as there is a chemotherapy patient we will be collecting blankets.  To date we have collected and donated over 125 blankets.  We collect both adult sized blankets (2 yards length or the 72inch sized kits) and children sized blankets (48″x60″).  Want to donate and not sure where to begin? Check out our FAQ tab at the top of the page.

*If your group is interested in working with us please leave us a message in the comments or you can reach us at donations@layersoflove.net  We have worked with many community groups and organizations, from providing you with enough scissors, to showing you how easy it is to put blankets together, we will help you to get your group on their way to making blankets!

We are so grateful for each and every donation we have received, and to all of you we say THANK YOU.

 Since we have started Layers of Love we have been receiving, in increasing numbers, emails from many people who either know a friend or family member who is undergoing chemotherapy and have requested blankets.  We are very proud to say we have never turned down one of these requests. Thanks to your support we are still providing these blankets when requested and will continue to do so.

Stay the Course Light a Star

“When the world says “Give up,” hope whispers “Try it one more time.” ~Author Unknown

Our very good friends over in Mansfield Ohio, the wonderful children’s charity Friends Like Us, were hit back at the end of February with a devastating flood. Since we launched Layers of Love we have had a relationship with Friends Like Us. Mark and his wonderful children’s charity, were one of the first friends we communicated with through our social media efforts. Since our first tweets together over a year ago we have built a very strong friendship. What does Friends Like Us do? They are a nonprofit childhood cancer organization with a goal to help children who have been devastated by cancer through their treatments. With all the pain and heartache that can come with this disease, we want to leave a lasting impression of love and hope with them.

As we announced earlier this year we are working this year collecting child sized fleece blankets for children who are going through chemotherapy treatment to add to their Chemo Bear Packages. They have given many children and their families a great deal of hope by providing them with these packages to help them ease the pain and uncertainty of going through chemotherapy treatment. Friends Like Us, works tirelessly for children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

As devastating as the flood was and all the damage it brought to Friends Like Us, the damage hasn’t stopped there, not only did they lose a great deal personally, their charity took a big hit as well, it has been almost complete loss for them. They have been trying to recoup some of the losses with local agencies but haven’t had any luck through that venue to date. So they are doing what they can on their own. As Friends Like Us states on their website, “We did everything we could to keep the water out and as fast is it came in, we couldn’t keep it out. It was like a small river flowing and all we could do is run around to get things put up as fast as we could, but it was too late for a lot of it. We lost so much due to the damages caused from the water. We are working hard on the recovery process, but need so much help with repairs and financially. We just can’t do it on our own!!!” Friends Like Us lost a lot of Chemo Bears, medical supplies, sibling toys, many coloring books, books and lots of supplies. You can view some photos from the flood on their website.

We are asking today if you can help them in any way possible, no donation IS TOO SMALL, every bit counts, to get them back on their feet and running again so that their mission of providing children with their Chemo Bear Packages can go on, move forward and begin to continue again.

Friends Like Us has made it very easy to donate to their cause. Simply go to their website http://www.friendslikeus.org/ and click on the donations tab at the top of the page, you can also donate through your mobile device with their QR code by going here.

Thank you for your help, it is appreciated more than you will ever know.

 

Thank you to the wonderful charity of Friends Like Us for not only everything they have done for children and their families who have been devastated by cancer, but for everything they will continue to do well into the future.  Layers of Love is grateful not only for the fantastic work they do, but for their friendship.

 

“Stay the course, light a star, change the world where’er you are.” ~Richard Le Gallienne

“Wonderful, compassionate and caring young women”

Wonderful, compassionate and caring young women!

“Wonderful, compassionate and caring young women.” This is exactly how Girl Scout Troop 824 from Sparta, New Jersey was described to me.  This description is right on the money.

A few weeks ago I received an email from the leaders of  the eight Cadette Girl Scouts, Annalise, Bridget, Carsen, Emma, Kat, Melissa, Morgan, and Sheree, stating that they had just completed 8 no-sew fleece blankets to donate to Layers of Love. They have put together 4 blankets for boys and 4 for girls.

 

Generous donation from the Girl Scout Troop 824 from Sparta, New Jersey

The boys and girls who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment will love these blankets, they will provide them with plenty of comfort and warmth as they continue on with their treatment.  We love the patterns they chose for the children!

As the troop leaders Diane and Pat relayed to me in an email, these girls have been together since kindergarten. Annalise, Bridget, Carsen, Emma, Kat, Melissa, Morgan, and Sheree are all in 7th grade now.   Diane and Pat went on to say “They are wonderful, compassionate and caring young women who devote many hours to their community doing food drives, collecting kitchen items for Habitat for Humanity, and working with younger girl scouts.  They enjoyed making these blankets very much and are glad that the blankets will bring comfort to children undergoing chemotherapy.”

We are very blessed that they chose us to donate not only the blankets to, but giving of  their time and talent also.  We are so grateful for their generous donation to children who are battling cancer.  These blankets will mean so much to the children who will receive them.

Layers of Love offers a BIG thank you to the Cadette Girl Scout Troop 824 of Sparta, New Jersey and their leaders, Diane and Pat.  We couldn’t do what we do without the help of wonderful groups such as yours.  You are all indeed wonderful, compassionate and caring young women, THANK YOU!!

*If your group is interested in working with us please leave us a message in the comments or you can reach us at donations@layersoflove.net  We have worked with many community groups and organizations, from providing you with enough scissors, to showing you how easy it is to put blankets together, we will help you to get your group on their way to making blankets!

Ready to deliver!

Layers of Love is very happy to announce that we have completed another goal! We have received enough fleece blanket donations in order to complete our goal of 25 blankets to deliver to the Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Donated Blankets

Thank you to the many generous donations from both individuals and community groups who have contributed to help us reach our goal.  We realize that without the help of YOU we would not be able to continually do what we are doing.  It is our goal that as long as there is a patient who is going through chemotherapy treatment we want to be able to provide comfort and warmth with a fleece blanket for each one.

Although this is another goal we have completed there are still many other goals we are still striving for.  We are still actively collecting child sized fleece blankets for the wonderful children’s charity Friends Like Us. They are pairing up the blankets in their Chemo Bear packages that they give to children who have recently been diagnosed with cancer.

We are also still collecting brand new fleece blankets for adults who are going through chemotherapy treatment.  Since we have started Layers of Love we have been receiving, in increasing numbers, emails from many people who either know a friend or family member who is undergoing chemotherapy and have requested blankets.  We are very proud to say we have never turned down one of these requests. Thanks to your support we are still providing these blankets when requested and will continue to do so.

*If you or your community group or organization is interested in donating to Layers of Love please let us know by leaving a comment below or contacting us through our email: donations@layersoflove.net  We have worked with many community groups and organizations, from providing you with enough scissors, to showing you how easy it is to put blankets together, we will help you to get your group on their way to making blankets!

Secret Sisters with a Big Heart

If you follow Layers of Love on facebook you might remember we posted a link from our local paper of a photograph back in December of a group of women from St. Matthew’s UCC located in Kunkletown, Pennsylvania.  The Secret Sisters from St. Matthew’s UCC held their annual Christmas party, where they revealed their secret identities, and through donations they purchased fleece material, and at their party they put their blankets together to donate to Layers of Love.

As many of you are aware it was a very rough winter here in Pennsylvania, we had a LOT of snow.  I tried to connect a few times with the event’s co- organizer Diane Huber, though we had valiant efforts to get together the weather had other ideas.   However, we finally got to connect at St. Matthew’s UCC and I got to meet a lot of the wonderful women who donated not only material, but their time and talent to make beautiful fleece blankets for chemotherapy patients.

They had a surprise for me, their donation turned out to be double what they had predicted when they planned their Christmas event.  As Diane Huber mentioned to me that morning, “People just kept giving and giving, and it allowed us to buy more.”

The Secret Sisters of St. Matthew's UCC blanket donations.

The blankets are beautiful, I had a wonderful time meeting the Secret Sisters of St. Matthew’s UCC and I am very grateful for their BIG hearts, and their wonderful donation.  With their help, we are now able to provide comfort and warmth to even more cancer patients are they go through their chemotherapy treatment.  Thank you!

*If your group is interested in working with us please leave us a message in the comments or you can reach us at donations@layersoflove.net  We have worked with many community groups and organizations, from providing you with enough scissors, to showing you how easy it is to put blankets together, we will help you to get your group on their way to making blankets!