FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FEB. 12, 2009

Prayer shawls provide comfort when patients need it most

St. John’s diagnoses around 300 women a year with breast cancer. And since May of 2008, each of those women has received a prayer shawl, knitted or crocheted by a volunteer.

St. John’s Auxiliary members began knitting prayer shawls in 2008 and several Springfield-area church groups have also joined the cause. With each shawl comes a prayer card to help give spiritual strength to patients in their times of need.

Dee Brown, who recently completed her radiation and is cancer-free, received a prayer shawl.

“Mine was done by a lady in treatment (for cancer) who was down to 89 lbs. She was knitting it as therapy for herself,” Brown said. “I didn’t need it everyday because I generally a positive person. But when I did need it, I’d get my CD player and wrap the shawl around me.”

Because Brown’s was knitted by a fellow cancer patient, it had special meaning to her. But the spiritual significance was meaningful as well.

“I can’t explain the way it made me feel other than it felt like God’s arms were wrapped around me along with that little lady who knitted it,” Brown said. “It was a comfort and gave a feeling that everything was going to be ok. It meant more to me than I realized.”

Brown now plans on joining the knitting group at her church to pass a prayer shawl on to someone else.

St. John’s Auxiliary began the prayer shawls in 2008. It was a project of the Missouri Association of Hospital Auxiliaries, a group that is part of the Missouri Hospital Association. St. John’s has several volunteers who only knit. In fact, each shawl counts toward 40 hours of volunteering and volunteers need 48 hours per quarter to qualify for benefits.

“We could use more knitters,” Molly Holtmann, director of Volunteer Services said. “We have patterns for knitting or crocheting for anyone looking to get started.”

Proceeds from a recent Auxiliary book sale bought yarn for knitters to use, though volunteers can also donate their own yarn.

The shawls are distributed by Radiation Oncology, St. John’s Clinic-Cancer Hematology and St. John’s Clinic-General & Specialty Surgery-Fremont, depending on where the patient is diagnosed and treated. St. John’s Breast Center coordinates the distribution.

For more information on becoming a knitter, contact St. John’s Auxiliary at 820-2041 or St. John’s Breast Center at 820-2500.

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For media information, contact St. John’s Media Relations at 417-820-2426 or cora.scott@mercy.net.

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