Many of you already know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Many of you also already know someone who has fought or is currently fighting breast cancer. By Annie is hosting their 2025 Sew Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Initiative with lots of information, fundraisers, and a blog tour with lots of free patterns, running through the whole month of October. I want to share a list of simple service ideas to bring comfort by sewing for breast cancer patients.
Breast Cancer Awareness Projects
Know anyone going through Breast Cancer right now? Or maybe you or someone you love has battled Breast Cancer and you want to find ways to help those who are fighting right now. Here are a few ideas of sewing projects that make a difference.
Mastectomy Pillows
One of my friends, Sachiko is a breast cancer survivor. Sachiko has shared her breast cancer journey on her blog Tea Rose Home. Watching her go through this experience was another rude reminder that this disease is relentless. Sachiko's attitude in this set back has been inspiring. And she has shared a simple way that you can help women with breast cancer - particularly those who must undergo a mastectomy.
These simple heart shaped pillows are made to fit under the armpit to provide relief while healing after a mastectomy. Sachiko received one from her oncologist's office and decided to make more to donate in return. She has shared a simple pattern to make them. You can donate them locally to an oncologist's office near you. Or ask a friend who has battled for other local resources that provide comfort to women with breast cancer.
Riley Blake has also put together a video tutorial for making these post-breast-cancer-surgery pillows using Sachiko's pattern.
Riley Blake Designs also has a recent fabric collection called Hope in Bloom and will donate proceeds from this collection to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
I've got a bunch of these pillows that need stuffing. This was a good reminder to get those finished.
Post Masectomy Camisole Pattern
Melissa from Melly Sews has another meaningful way to help someone recovering from a mastectomy (or any other abdominal surgery). On her blog she shares a pattern and a video tutorial for a post-mastectomy camisole. These are made specifically to avoid having to raise your arms to put on as well as accommodate post-surgery drains.
These too can be donated locally - or chances are you know someone affected with breast cancer and they will gladly point you in the direction of an oncologist's office or Breast Cancer Research Center who can put them in the hands of someone who will not only be grateful for the useful item, but also for the thoughtful person who took the time to hand make something to provide comfort and love.
Or send them to The Blessing Box Project. This group sends care packages of a mastectomy pillow and drain shirt to anyone who requests them. You can also find them through Facebook.
Post Mastectomy Seat Belt Cover
By Annie has a free pattern for this Bosom Buddy seat belt cover which spreads out the seatbelt pressure across the chest or abdomen while recovering from any surgery.
There is also a series of videos to walk you through the steps to make one yourself.
Heart Quilt Blocks for Breast Cancer Awareness
Another friend to go through this journey is Andy Knowlton of A Bright Corner.
Andy shares more about her experience with Breast Cancer as well as this sweet Heartstrings Quilt Block Tutorial.
Andy also has a free pattern for a simple heart patchwork block and quilt here.
The Fat Quarter Shop is also hosting their annual sew-along/fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation featuring the a free FPP Cancer Awareness Ribbon quilt block pattern.
(The smaller gold quilt block is because I accidentally printed the foundation pattern horizontal/landscape instead of vertical/portrait. 😅)
This pattern can be customized to any color honoring the different types of cancer. I made a pink version in support of my friend Julie who is battling another round of Breast Cancer.
The gold version for my friend Daniel who is currently battling childhood cancer. While rare, cancer is one of the leading causes of death by disease in children adolescents. Despite this, it often receives significantly less funding and public attention than other forms of cancer.
It's truly awful. These two (and their families) weigh on my heart every day.
Sewfinity has another free FPP quilt block pattern version for a Cancer Awareness Ribbon HERE. (Pink pouch information here.)
Be sure to check out the October Sew Pink blog tour hosted by By Annie with links to lots of projects.
Support Group Quilt Pattern by Lori Holt
The Fat Quarter Shop has had an annual campaign raising funds and awareness for Breast Cancer research for years now. I still love the Support Group pattern from the 2022 Quilt or Stitch Along featuring a clever design by Lori Holt whose own mother battled Breast Cancer. Those patterns are still available.
Get a Mammogram 💗
Finally, if you are over 40, get a mammogram. I have multiple friends my age (late 40's) diagnosed recently and found the cancer because they got a mammogram. And because they did they're still here, being moms to their kids and living busy lives, because they caught the cancer early. I know that's not the case for everyone, but early detection does make a difference. I'm grateful to those women who have inspired me to make mammograms a yearly habit.
I know they're not the funnest thing you've ever done. But we're big girls and it's totally worth the peace of mind to just do it. TOTALLY.
My mammogram experience a few years ago gave me new appreciation and a sliver of a taste for what a diagnosis might be like. I went for my yearly mammogram that spring and got a call back later that day, that they'd seen something suspicious and wanted me to come back for more a closer ultrasound in 2 weeks.
Those 2 weeks were torturous. Luckily the second ultrasound didn't show anything and I was given a clean bill of health. But the worry and stress of those 2 weeks gave me new understanding and empathy - in the smallest of ways - for anyone who has received a diagnosis of cancer.
Know of other causes looking for contributions to aid those fighting breast cancer? Please share them in the comments!
Looking for more good causes you can help sew for? You can find a list of causes in need on the Sew Goodness page.
Barbara Esposito, TheQuiltedB says
Hi Amy - sadly this article is very timely as a friend of a friend is scheduled for a double mastectomy in a few weeks. Thank you for sharing, for speaking up, and for the patterns. I am off to sew!
Karen Seitz says
Great ideas, Amy -- thanks for sharing them! One of my local guilds makes the heart pillows as one of our outreach projects, but I had not heard of the camisoles. I can definitely see the need for those.
Cassandra says
Yes to mammograms, AND know your risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Knowbrca.org has a quick assessment you can take. I was diagnosed at 39 and discovered I carry the brca2 mutation. I didn't know to get tested for it until I was already diagnosed.
Another sewing idea: a simple robe or kimono with pockets on the inside to hold drains. Adding pockets to the inside of a loose tank or top would also work. I received a scarf with pockets for the drains, but it was clumsy. A kimono would have been perfect!
CherylB says
Thank you for this post. I had a double mastectomy 2 years ago due to invasive mammary cancer at the age of 50. I chose reconstruction. The agony of the diagnosis and waiting for confirmation were unreal but I survived !!
Adding pockets to hold and hide the drains (I had drains for 3 weeks) would be very beneficial. I wore a button up pj top. And if I had a dr appointment I wore a loose stretchy boat neck that could be slipped down and not up.
P says
I have decided no to mammograms after lots of research and reading. (I've had two already, so it's not a complete no) I know it's a personal choice but it's one I am very comfortable with. As always, there are at least two sides to every issue. If you are on the fence about starting or continuing mammograms I would suggest gathering information about false positives and absolute risk vs. relative risk. I don't want to present statistics here because that seems manipulative, but I was surprised at what I found and perhaps you would be too. The best recommendation I read is that it is better to focus on healthy living to prevent cancer than to focus on screening. So if you have decided yes to mammograms, then perhaps you can also give attention to reducing your risks. Best wishes to those of you who have suffered.
larissa says
I'm with you! Instead, a harmless and cheaper option is thermography! It can detect abnormalities years earlier than a mammogram and does not involve pressure that can pop a tumor or radiation.
Melissa says
Thank you so much for all of these great ideas, Amy! So appreciate them.
Laura says
A screening mammogram saved my life, would rather have a biopsy that returns negative than not find cancer. My cancer was too small to palpate . I would encourage screening as well as healthy lifestyles.
Bonnie says
A mammogram saved my life 10 years ago and I haven't missed one since. During my recovery after a mastectomy someone gave me a little handmade pillow that was covered in a silky fabric and I used it for lots of things. Covering my port so the seatbelt wouldn't irritate it while I was driving was the best discovery. I took it to every chemo treatment sort of like a stuffed animal and it was soothing.
Mardell Grayhek says
What a wonderful post. I am now an 18 year survivor as of October 16th. In 2003 I has an appointment each week of October beginning with my routine mammogram. I am so lucky and for years volunteered for the cause. Each time we share with other women we are sharing a special blessing. Other women have not been as lucky as me and three of my six sisters. While we do not have the gene that passes along this dreaded disease, it doesn't mean that our daughters, other sisters or friends should be complacent. Mammograms do save lives and so does paying attention to changes in your breast tissue. I'm alive because of early detection.
Amy says
Thank you SO much for sharing your experience, Mardell. I'm so grateful your outcome was a good one - and so wonderful of you to volunteer to support this community. xo
Pamela Meyers Arbour says
I made my friend a small one like that and a larger one and sent them to her the week before her first surgery. She has had a long hard year and a half with multiple surgeries and she recently sent me a picture of her using her large heart pillow. She says they are the best gift she has ever received.
Amy says
Oh that is so meaningful. xo
Bobbi Wright says
Another site for breast cancer sewing projects, including a larger heart pillow as well as some head coverings for those going through chemo is at: https://seekatesew.com/category/sew4good/
She has patterns also. My aunt had breast cancer, my mom had ovarian cancer but thank the Lord, me and my sisters do not. And I don't have the gene either. That's good news for my daughters
Amy says
Excellent! Thank you so much for sharing that resource. So sorry to hear about your mom and aunt. Grateful that you and your daughters don't have the gene. 🙏❤
Rita says
It’s lovely to see these patterns, thank you so much.
I had breast cancer five years ago, I didn’t require a mastectomy but I did have the tumour removed by what we call a lumpectomy. I also had to have 8 lymph nodes removed from my armpit. I was so glad to be given one of these cushions in hospital and it helped me so much in my recovery. I received fifteen rounds of radiotherapy which left me quite sore, so again the cushion was perfect to stop me banging myself. Thankfully I’m all clear now.
So remember these can be used by so many more patients than just those who have to have mastectomies.
Linda Christianson says
Breast Cancer is no fun. If you know it runs in your family and they have blood test now do not wait until you are 40. My daughter adopted had breast cancer at 37. we just said goodbye at 40 years old. I had Dr. that just boo at me, I thought it was her Autism problem and muteness. Don't let the insurance or a Dr. tell you it is 40. I made the heart pillow which she had under her arm and stuff toy under the other at the end. Both she did herself for comfort.
Yolanda Garza-Schjoneman says
Amy, it is so wonderful to be a part of your Quilting/Sewing community. I love all the links for Charitable sewing!! Thank you so much.
Yolanda
Michelle F Holloway says
Thank you for your blog, I made a port pillow for my son for his chemo treatments he is currently undergoing for colorectal cancer.