Here at Country Baskets we love to here all about what our lovely customers use our products for! When Zoe, from charity Breast Friends in York (BFY) got in touch about donating cellophane and ribbon to Breast Friends in York, we were very touched by the story and keen to raise awareness further. The donated cellophane and ribbon is to help the wonderful BFY with the packing of their products which are then sent out to patients and sufferers of Breast Cancer.

The charity organisation BFY are a fabulous group of ladies who make heart shaped pillows and drain bags for individuals who have or are still suffering with breast cancer. The organisation was set up in 2014 and supports those in York and the surrounding areas, however, they are hoping to increase the services they provide by creating awareness through social media.

Group of the Heart Pillows - from Zoe Bounds

They are proud to support around 75 people in a variety of ways which includes monthly meetings, informal ad hoc meetings and lingerie evenings with professional post-surgery bra fitters all of which involve tea, coffee and cake! There is also online help that can be accessed for those outside of the York area. These are public pages where people can ask questions about membership or what the organisation provides, there are also members only pages that discuss more personal or difficult topics including diagnosis, treatment or ‘moving on’.

The heart shaped pillows are used to protect any wounds from the movement of the arm as this can cause irritation and further damage, the heart shape is perfect for this area as it fits under the arm both relieving stress on arm muscles and making the patient more comfortable. BFY then package the pillows in cellophane and ribbon with a business card embellished with a heart and a handwritten message, they also include a flyer with an instructional poem on the group, how to use the pillow and what BFY can provide in the future for patients.

Picture of the Heart Pillows - from Zoe Bounds

Zoe Bounds, the co-founder of Breast Friends in York, has commented on the work that the charity does “We were not happy with just supporting these people who had managed to find us via the internet and wanted to reach out to patients who were at their lowest, hopefully this would assure them that they are not alone, they are being thought of and there is ongoing support out there for them should they need it.” Because of this, around 15 months ago BFY started having two monthly sewing workshops where members and non-members can get together to make the heart shaped pillows and drain bags.

Picture of Sewing Day - from Zoe Bounds

Zoe also provided us with some comments that patients have made on the pillows and support they received from the organisation:
“Thank you so much for the beautifully made heart pillow, it has been perfect for keeping me comfortable in the car and whilst recovering at home.”
“I love my pretty pillow! Thank you, supportive sewers for your kind gift. The pretty heart embellishment, lovely ribbon and funny poem gave me quite a boost when I needed it the most.”

They are creating an open and friendly community for members and non-members to comfortably talk and ask question about the topic and charity. If you have any questions or enquires about Breast Cancer, please contact a member of the BFY team:

Facebook: @BreastFriendsYork
Twitter: @yorBreastFriend
Website: http://yorkbreastfriends.org/