Knitted Knockers are just that - a knit (or crochet) breast prosthesis that fits into a lady's bra to fill it out. The lady might have had a mastectomy or a lumpectomy to remove breast tissue due to cancer. Reconstruction surgery and resulting scar tissue can be painful and requires more time to heal and rehabilitate.
Enter the Knitted Knocker. Made from ultra-soft cotton and stuffed with polyester, the Knitted Knocker is light, washable, fits into the bra, and lies right next to the skin. Silicone prostheses can be heavy, hot, and slip around. There is a version of the Knitted Knocker for swimmers made of acrylic (cotton is heavy when wet).
Knitted Knockers are FREE to the recipient. Really. Whether surgery was three weeks ago or thirty years ago, the Knitted Knockers are FREE.
This all-volunteer program is run out of Bellingham, Washington and is an international organization. Chicken Lady Fiber Arts is one of the many stores around the world that has a group which meets monthly to knit, crochet, stuff, and package knockers. Our knockers then stay in town and are distributed by Grand Valley Oncology and St. Mary's Cancer Center.
How YOU can help.
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Let people know. From a friend: "I know a surgeon who cried when she discovered these because of all her patients going back 20 years who had been suffering all this time because they didn't know about them." If you need brochures to pass along, we have them in our store. Let us know how many you'll need. Or, direct people to the Knitted Knockers website.
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Knit or crochet at home. We carry the approved yarn in our store. During the recent mandatory lock-down, knitters/crocheters emailed me to set up a time to stop by and purchase yarn ($5/ball). I left the box on the porch; they left money in the box. This contact-less exchange might work for your busy schedule.
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Drop-off knockers. As we get back into the swing of normality, we are stretched for time. Feel free to drop off unstuffed knockers in a plastic bag after making them.
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Join us. Our group meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month in our store from 10am - 12pm. We would love to have you join us in helping the ladies of our community. Please bring double-pointed-needles (size 4 or 5) and $5 to help defray the cost of yarn and stuffing.