For a woman battling breast cancer, a warm hat and blanket or a cuddly teddy bear can be a symbol of comfort and hope under the most difficult of circumstances. Becky Florian, RN, breast health specialist at SSM St. Clare Health Center, knows this feeling first-hand.
“This past February marked my seven-year anniversary of being a breast cancer survivor,” says Florian. “I know what it’s like to go through chemotherapy – how cold it can be, and how nice it is to have something warm to snuggle up with.”
Before joining SSM, Florian, a certified surgical nurse, worked at the Southeast Georgia Health Center where she helped with the planning and development of a comprehensive breast center. While in this role, Florian wanted to start a project that would help her patients, both emotionally and physically. She began to knit and crochet hats for patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment at the Georgia health center. Florian has continued this tradition at SSM St. Clare, and it has grown to include blankets and teddy bears.
“When I first started crocheting, it took me days to complete a hat. Now, while still not as fast as I’d hope to be, I can get one done in just about a day,” explained Florian. “When a patient has a positive biopsy that shows a type of cancer that will include chemotherapy as a treatment – along with information from Susan G. Komen and the American Cancer Society – I also give her a couple hats and a blanket to show that she isn’t alone and hasn’t been forgotten.”
Breast cancer blankets are donated to the breast center from a quilting group from Florian’s church, Journey Church, in Troy, Mo. Soft teddy bears also are given to patients who undergo lymphoid dissections to help support the patient’s arm comfortably, while protecting the axillary area after surgery.
“In my role, there is a special need for compassion and understanding,” says Florian. “The hats, blankets and bears are just a small way to create a unique bond between the care team and our patients.”
Florian’s inspiration has spread throughout SSM. This past November, during SSM’s 140th Anniversary Heritage Week Celebration, the staff from Cardinal Glennon-SSM Medical Group Pediatrics in Sunset Hills delivered 140 hats for patients in SSM Cancer Care at St. Clare Health Center, which they knitted and crocheted themselves.