Warming Cancer Patients in Hudson Valley, NY with Girl Scout’s Stitches of Hope

Thanks to an enterprising 17-year-old Girl Scout, Hudson Valley New Yorkers can help keep cancer patients warm

Let me introduce you to a 17-year-old Girl Scout with a charity knitting project called Stitches of Hope that I think you’ll love to hear about. This project will be of special interest to those of you living in the Hudson Valley portion of New York.

Danielle Guida is the Girl Scout’s name, and charity knitting for cancer patients is her game. I’ll allow Danielle to introduce her project in her own words:

I’m a high school student from Westchester, New York, and I’m also a Girl Scout trying to earn my Gold Award, which is a large community service project and the highest possible honor in Scouts. For my project, I chose to focus on raising cancer awareness.

My mother is a breast cancer survivor and told me that during her chemotherapy sessions she became uncomfortably cold. I have recently started a knitting program at my local library where knitters make blankets, hats, and shawls and donate them to the Hudson Valley Hospital Center for cancer patients to use during chemo.”

You can see the photos Danielle has taken of the many beautiful donations the program has already received here!

 

How You Can Help

Danielle appealed to me so that Stitches of Hope can be introduced to a wider audience. She’s hoping to receive donations from all over Hudson Valley. Of course, anyone who would like to participate can do so, whether you live in or outside of the Hudson Valley!

Danielle’s guidelines for this project are simple: “All I ask is that hats fit an adult-sized head and blankets are at least the size of an average lap blanket. The hospital accepts all kinds of yarn, and any colors will do. My goal is to make the cancer patients feel like they’re cared for and not forgotten, and so brighter colors seem to be a favorite of theirs so far, but all colors are great.”

When you’re finished with any projects you would like to contribute, you can email Danielle at [email protected] to let her know they’re coming or to ask any questions you may have. You can offer your donations directly to the Infusion Center at Hudson Valley Hospital Center, 1980 Crompond Rd., Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567.

Stitches of Hope is an ongoing project; as Danielle says, one of the requirements of a Girl Scout Gold Award is that the project be “sustainable”; that is, after she has finished it, the project must continue. So no matter when you might be able to participate, this program will continue to welcome your contributions.

This is such a wonderful opportunity to help cancer patients, thanks to a young woman’s generosity and enterprising spirit. Southeastern New Yorkers, this one’s for you. How can you contribute?