November 17, 2024
About two years ago, three members of Oakdale UMC in West Boylston, MA, established the Pillowcase Project. Pillowcases are donated to the UMASS Pediatric Oncology Unit.
Linda, one of the project founders, offered this report at the most recent Church Conference.
When a child is admitted [to the hospital], s/he is offered the opportunity to choose a pillowcase. In a sterile, scary environment a bright cheery pillowcase is a comforting gift. The pillowcase goes home with the child and can be used again if the child returns for repeat therapy.
We have received notes from parents and nurses expressing their gratitude for the difference the pillowcases have made in the hospital experience for the children.
The only “depressing” part of the pillowcase ministry is that the need is so great. It is sad to realize that although so many pillowcases have been given to children experiencing cancer and other health issues, the need remains. The nurses are very excited to replenish their depleted stock of these cherished gifts.
A note from a parent:
Hello,
I just wanted to express our appreciation to the volunteers on the outreach and mission community.
Our 3-year-old had a medical emergency which resulted in a hospital stay. After all the trauma, tests and “pokes,” the dinosaur pillowcase was a bright spot in his hospital stay.
Perhaps the volunteer who made this will recognize their work in the picture below.
Thank you again,
Christine
Boylston, MA
A nurse who distributes the pillowcases to the cancer patients wrote:
Dear Little Church with a Big Heart ❤️
I work in Pediatrics at UMASS as a nurse. I always give my sick patients one of your pillowcases. It really brightens the day for the kids and parents. The quality is outstanding!! I love them and Thank you for your beautiful pillowcase creations.
If you ever have a sewing class for pillowcases count me in!!
Thanks again
Terry Nordborg
It all started as three people who just had fun making pillowcases. We now have 10+ people who join together monthly and not only create pillowcases, but have fellowship, fun and share our lives with each other. This is a mixture of our church family and several who just want to support this project.
To date we have delivered 864 pillowcases and with our next blessing will probably number over 900. As we hear about these numbers, we can’t help but think about the 900 families that are affected by childhood cancer and hope that this brings just a little bit of fun to an otherwise scary experience.
The pillowcases are made in an assembly line fashion.
- Bright, cheerful 100% cotton quilting fabric is used. Fabrics are purchased and donated by members. Monetary donations are always appreciated, and volunteers are encouraged to help even if they do not sew.
- The fabric is pre-washed and IRONED. This is the first of many ironings!
- Betty Berry has a wonderful eye for color! She and a few others match three fabrics for each part of the pillowcases.
- Anatomy of a pillowcase: The main fabric makes up the case. A contrasting fabric becomes the cuff, and an accent fabric is chosen for the flange or “thingy” as we affectionately call it!
- The fabrics are cut to size depending on the purpose. The “thingy” is folded in half widthwise and IRONED.
- The next step is the rolling and pinning. This, in my opinion, is the hardest and most time-consuming part. Laurene is a seasoned pro! Emily, Chris, Janet and Linda spend hours rolling the “hot dogs” or “burritos” as they are called.
- The tubes are then moved to the sewing machines where Pastor Cheryl, Betty, Tina B and Tina M stitch the cuff seam.
- Next is the “Eureka” moment when the cases are pulled out and we see the beautiful color and pattern combinations!
- More IRONING and then trimming! We are blessed to have dedicated folks who stand for hours at the ironing boards. Suman, Janet, Anne, Chris, and Emily are a few of our precision ironers. Linda then trims the salvages and folds them, right sides together, and places them into the never ending “to be serged” bin!
- A tag is placed into the edge of the case and the seam is serged. A serger is a four thread overlock sewing machine that binds the seam to prevent raveling. Jean and Rachel run the sergers. An additional serger is now available so Emily and Pastor Cheryl can assist.
- The pillowcases are then turned right side out, ready for a final pressing.
Blessing of the Pillowcases
The pillowcases are now ready to be Blessed! On a blessing Sunday, Laurene and Linda carefully drape the pillowcases over the alter rail creating a beautiful, bright, & colorful display! The cases are blessed during the service. Once the pillowcases are blessed, they are packaged for delivery. A card is placed into each bag noting the pillowcase project and offering a message of comfort.
We bless them every couple of months when we have a batch ready to go to UMASS.
Here's a video link to a blessing in June. The next blessing will take place during worship, which begins at 10:30 on Nov. 24, 2024.
Here is the blessing we'll use:
Unison Blessing of the Pillowcases
By Rev. Cheryl L. Meachen, pastor at Oakdale UMC
Gracious and Loving God, we thank you that you have presented us with the opportunity to bring cheer into the lives of children suffering from cancer and their families We ask your healing blessings upon them through this labor of love. We thank you for the bountiful gifts of those who have chosen and purchased and cut and washed and folded and pinned and serged and trimmed and sewed and ironed the fabric from which these gifts of love are made. We thank you for the honor of requesting your blessing on these vehicles of comfort and love and we are grateful witnesses of the healing power of your love through this ministry. It is in your Son’s precious name that we pray, Amen.
Here's another we used at the beginning:
Responsive Blessing of the Pillowcases
written by Rev. Cheryl L. Meachen
Gracious and Loving God,
we thank you that you have called us to be a church, a family,
the body of Christ concerned with helping our neighbor.
We thank and praise the Lord.
We thank you that you have given us a heart for mission,
a deep desire to help others in all of life’s circumstances.
We thank and praise the Lord.
We thank you for opening our hearts and minds to the needs of those in our midst in this precious human family,
especially for the children suffering with cancer and seeking help from the UMASS pediatric oncology ward.
We thank and praise the Lord.
We thank you for connecting us, through the Holy Spirit, to this mission and equipping us with the gifts and resources needed to help,
especially for the sewing machines and the sew-ers,
the irons and the ironers,
the pins and the pinners,
the imaginers and fabric buyers
and all who have received the gift of your inspiration to do your work,
We thank and praise the Lord.
We see these colorful pillowcases laid on the altar rail and we see within them both the loving conversations and laughter of those who made them
and the precious children who will receive them.
Bless those children, dear Lord, bless them with comfort and cheer from these tokens of our heart.
Make them to be symbols of your love and healing.
Amen.
