Friend inspires Cap Creation

Joyce's Chemo Cap Project

From an article in Neighborsgo section Dallas Morning News December 15, 2007
After finding out that their friend Joyce Schmitt was diagnosed with cancer, friends Jan Goble, Vivian Denbow and Lena Louter of Allen started the Chemo Cap Project. Joyce had mentioned to her friends that the caps she had to sleep in hurt her head. because of the seams. So, Jan, Vivian and Lena started looking for patterns on the Internet for Chemo Caps. The patterns they found suggested using yarns that were soft to the touch. Jan and Vivian bought yarn and started making Caps. They then asked Joyce to approve the yarn and make sure it was soft.

On August 2, 3007 the friends started making caps at the Allen Senior Center. Several others at the center joined the project. Because many of the women can crochet and knit, they gathered patterns.

Some members such as Lena focus mainly on making children's Chemo Caps. Lena has made more than 100 children's cap and sent them to the Scottish Rite Hospital and St. Jude''s Children's Hospital.

Since the group started, they have grown to more than 20 women who knit and crochet caps. Because members have shared news about the project with family and friends, the idea has spread and groups have formed in Florida, Georgia and Virginia.

They also are now working with the McKinney Cancer Center and the Plano Cancer Center to distribute adult caps. The only stipulation members had was that the caps be given to patients who could use them at no cost.

The group has recently renamed the Chemo Cap Project as "Joyce's Chemo Cap Project".

Without Joyce's friendship and understanding about the need for comfortable caps, her friends would not have known there was such a need. Because of all of the support received members are glad to donate the "caps" .