Heart Pillows For Breast Cancer Patients

For the past four years, our club has been involved in an ongoing charity project of sewing heart pillows for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

HIWC members create not only heart pillows but also knit/crochet hats, scarves, and socks for women undergoing cancer treatment at the NCT (National Center for Tumor Diseases) in Heidelberg. The heart pillows are specifically handmade for women who have undergone mastectomies.

One of the recipients said:

"I also obtained a heart pillow from NCT five years ago. It was incredibly helpful to ease the pain after my surgery, and especially during radiation treatment. This project is truly making a difference. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of these pillows".

Maria João Barros Weiss (Member of HIPWF)

How to help

Material donation:

  • Fabric: Bright, cheerful cotton/fleece/wool/flannel
  • Polyfil/fiber fill stuffing (e.g. pellon cluster fill)
  • Thread, needles, scissors
  • Sewing machine to borrow during one-day craft bash session

We also welcome cash donations, which will be used to purchase necessary materials. A donation of €20 will cover the cost of 3 heart pillows, while a donation of €50 will cover the cost of seven heart pillows.

A bank transfer can be made to:
  • Account Name: Heidelberg International Women’s Club e.V.
  • Bank Name: Heidelberger Volksbank
  • IBAN: DE08 6729 0000 0149 6548 52
  • BIC: GENODE61HD1
  • Memo (Verwendungszweck): Heart pillows

THANK YOU!

Together we can make a difference!

We would like to encourage women to make heart pillows either independently or by participating in an upcoming craft event.

During the one-day craft event, we will need the following help:

  • Do you have an ironing board and iron that you could bring?
  • Could you help set up the tables?
  • Could you help cut out the heart pattern?
  • Could you help fill the heart pillows?
  • Could you hand sew them closed?
  • Could you help with the wrapping of the pillows?
  • Could you write notes wishing the patients well?

If you are interested in sewing, cutting, ironing, stitching or helping in any other way, please consider joining us! Together we can make a difference through meaningful work and social activities.