KNITTED KNOCKERS SUPPORT FOUNDATION
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Mission Statement
Providing complementary hand-made Knitted Knocker prosthetic devices to post-mastectomy breast cancer survivors made and donated by people in the community
About This Cause
As a breast cancer survivor who has experienced a mastectomy I had to face many critical decisions during my journey. But one of the most difficult concerned choices about what to wear until I could be reconstructed. My doctor introduced me to a soft, handmade breast form called Knitted Knockers. He did not have any to give me, but he directed me to a pattern to make them. A compassionate friend hand-knit knockers for me. They not only helped me to re-engage with life with confidence, they gave me a feeling of being cared for and comforted. From that point forward it became my mission to make these soft, unique, handmade breast prosthetics available to women at no charge. I created knittedknockers.org for the purpose of inspiring, equipping and motivating volunteer knitters to make complementary knitted knockers to the women in their own communities. I also want to assure that every breast cancer mastectomy patient leaves her doctor’s office with knitted knocker in her hand. We are seeking funding to sustain and expand our efforts as we attempt to meet the ever increasing demand for Knitted Knockers. The word is spreading! Attached is the Knitted Knocker Mission and Scope of Work which gives a concise overview about our goals, what we have accomplished and a vision for the future of this organization. Thank you for your consideration in helping us with this worthwhile cause to bring comfort and compassionate support to thousands of women in a tangible way. Sincerely, Barbara Demorest Founder and President Knitted Knockers Support Foundation a (501(c)(3)) Non Profit Our Mission Provide complementary hand-made Knitted Knocker prosthetic devices to post-mastectomy breast cancer survivors made and donated by women in the community Our Goals • Reach out to the estimated 1 million women in the USA that have had mastectomies and not been reconstructed to educate them about alternatives to traditional prosthetics • Provide breast clinics a quantity of knitted knockers ensuring that 50,000 mastectomy patients (each year) leave their doctor’s office with educational materials and a soft, comfortable prosthetic device (Knitted Knocker) • Assure that every community has patterns and individuals trained to teach women to make Knitted Knockers The Heart of the Matter • One in eight women will develop breast cancer at some time in their life with over 25% having a mastectomy • Up to 90% of women who have had a mastectomy use breast prostheses • Traditional prosthetic devices can cost up to $800 and can be uncomfortable (hot, heavy and sticky) requiring specialized undergarments • Many traditional breast prosthetics cannot be worn for at least six weeks after surgery • Knitted Knockers are soft, washable, comfortable breast forms hand-knitted or crocheted by volunteers and may be worn soon after surgery fitting into most bras • Providing Knitted Knockers to breast cancer survivors is a tangible way to bring comfort, support and compassion—one woman to another at a very vulnerable time We Do This By • Networking with local yarn shops, fiber arts guilds and various groups throughout the country to make knitted knockers, providing educational/promotional materials, patterns, video tutorials, signs and posters • Assuring that Breast Centers have educational materials to give patients, in addition to a Knitted Knocker to take home • Utilizing traditional and social media sources such as television, newspapers, magazine articles, radio newscasts and breast cancer awareness events • Working with local yarn shops to establish groups of volunteers that hand knit/crochet Knitted Knockers for clinics in their own communities Our Reach • Currently sending out up to 13,000 Knitted Knockers per month to mastectomy patients through our website requests alone http://www.knittedknockers.org/ • Since 2014 the pattern to make Knitted Knockers has been downloaded more than 1.2 million times and this number grows weekly • We have over 40,000 Facebook followers, reaching some 50,000 people per month • Our videos have been viewed more than 700,000 times. • We facilitate supporting over 2,200 medical clinics in the US to provide free breast forms to their patients. Approximately 20 clinics per month are registering with knittedknockers.org. • We have helped establish Knitted Knocker satellite organizations in all 50 states throughout the US and over 60 countries.