October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this year I’m so proud to be part of ByAnnie.com’s #SewPINK Initiative Blog Hop! The purpose of this initiative is to raise awareness about screening and early detection for breast cancer and raise money for breast cancer research ALL year long (not just in October). For the Blog Hop, ByAnnie.com has asked some awesome makers to help spread awareness through their creative work and I feel honored to be included.
Breast cancer has impacted my life in a very profound and personal way. My mom was diagnosed when I was about 6 years old and sadly she passed away as I was finishing my first year in college. She was a kind and gentle soul, a loving mother to my sisters and me, a faithful daughter, and an amazing friend. I feel her absence from this world and miss her everyday. Navigating through life without my mother has been a strange and heartbreaking challenge.
As someone who is at higher risk, I have needed to learn about breast cancer screening at a younger age. If you have a first degree family member (parent, sibling, or child) with breast cancer, you may need to begin screening before age 40 (age 40 is the recommendation for folks at average risk). The most common way to screen for breast cancer is with a yearly mammogram but folks at higher risk may also need enhanced screening such as a yearly breast MRI. You can work with your healthcare provider to determine when and what sort of screening is best for you.
When I decided to be part of this project, I knew I wanted to create something that I could then share with breast cancer patients to hopefully bring a little bit of sweetness and love to them during such a difficult time in their lives.
For my main project, I chose to sew ByAnnie.com’s To Market, To Market Tote Bag. ByAnnie.com generously provided all of the bag making materials I needed for this project, including their fun pattern, my favorite foam interfacing ByAnnie’s Soft and Stable, handbag zippers, and polypro strapping. Then I used FIGO Fabrics Glasshouse collection and Studio E Peppered Cotton from my shop to create this pink tote bag.
With the remaining zippers and Soft and Stable, I made some smaller zipper pouches. I will be donating these bags to the reconstructive surgery clinic where my sister works as a nurse and she will be distributing them to her breast cancer patients. It is my hope that they will give them some small comfort as they go through their treatment and recovery.
If you’d like to contribute to funding breast cancer research AND sew up some pretty pink projects, we have a #SEWpink fat quarter bundle in the shop! All proceeds from the sale of this bundle will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. You can shop for the bundle HERE!
Follow along with the blog hop to see more projects from some of your favorite makers through the end of the month!! And check out our Instagram for a chance to win a $30 coupon to ByAnnie.com!
2020 Blog Hop Schedule
✂ Oct. 1 (Thur): Mister Domestic
✂ Oct. 5 (Mon): Sewfinity
✂ Oct. 7 (Wed): Great Heron Thread
✂ Oct. 9 (Friday): Knot and Thread
✂ Oct. 12 (Mon): Snuggles Quilts
✂ Oct. 14 (Wed): A Bright Corner
✂ Oct. 16 (Fri): Suzn Quilts
✂ Oct. 19 (Mon): HUGS'N KISSES
✂ Oct. 20 (Tues): Sallie Tomato
✂ Oct. 22 (Thur): Masterpiece Quilting, Nancy Scott
✂ Oct. 23 (Fri): Meadow Mist Designs
✂ Oct. 26 (Mon): LoveYouSew
✂ Oct. 27 (Tue): Teresa Coates
✂ Oct. 31 (Sat): Sookie Sews of Sue O'Very Designs
The #SewPink Initiative was created by ByAnnie.com LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer throughout the year. Our efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection and support for those affected by breast cancer.
To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPink
To find screenings available near you:
To donate directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation visit: https://give.bcrf.org/give/31404/#!/donation/checkout
Thank you so much to ByAnnie.com for sponsoring this initiative and giving me the opportunity to be part of it!