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published: Friday, September 05, 2008
Women craft personal dolls for cancer patients
ROXANNE BROWN
Staff Writer
CLERMONT -- For almost two years, members of a women's crafting group from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church have been sewing "me dolls," faceless dolls just waiting to be personalized by young cancer patients as they go through treatment.
The dolls they've made so far have been donated to Disney Children's Hospital -- formerly known as Florida Children's Hospital -- in Orlando.
When they receive a doll, patients are asked to give it a name and a face, based on their feelings.
Each doll even sports a hospital gown that opens in the back like real ones. That way, the children can relate to their new friend in as many ways as possible.
"Each child gets to take their doll home, but at the hospital, we use them for therapeutic play," said Traci Woods, a certified child life specialist at the hospital. "The dolls help us talk to the kids about their feelings and attempt to reduce the stress of being in the hospital not knowing what to expect."
Woods said the dolls are used to familiarize the kids with any medical procedures they'll be going through by practicing on the dolls.
An important characteristic of the dolls is that their hair is not sewn on, but secured with Velcro.
That way, children who have lost their hair as a result of chemotherapy, can remove the doll's hair and put it back when theirs grows back, as well.
"Just think about if you were a sick little kid going through something like that. The dolls make them happy. We know the kids love them," Aimee Markussen said. "It makes me happy just doing it too. It's a joy."
The group began the "me dolls" project after Meredith Felt, a member on hiatus due to an illness, caught wind of others making similar dolls for the hospital.
Dorothy Renick has continued with leading the effort and to date, has seen the completion of more than 100 dolls.
The ladies make boy and girl dolls with all different colors of hospital gowns the kids can choose from. Each doll's hair is also unique, from short, long, braided, curly and straight hair and each one has a little red heart on its chest.
Each lady takes on a different task in creating the dolls starting with tracing the pattern, cutting it out, pinning it, sewing it, stuffing it, dressing it and adding special finishing touches such as ribbons and the hair.
Renick said each doll is valued at about $15. The materials and funds needed are donated by church members and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
The pattern used by the women is one provided to them by the hospital.
Woods said any other groups or individuals interested in helping make "me dolls" can e-mail a request for the pattern to traci.woods@flhosp.org.
Meanwhile the 10 women from the Shepherd of the Hills group continue to sew the dolls from scratch and are putting together packets they will pass on to fellow church members across Florida at a Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America conference in Lake Yale soon.
There, they plan to teach other women how to make the "me dolls" with hopes that they too, will take on the project in order to provide as many dolls as possible to local hospitals for the children who can benefit from them.
