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Penfield, N.Y. —
When cancer struck close to home, Penfield woman Susan O’Keefe wanted to use her talents to help. Two years ago, she left her job with two kids in college to care for her mother, cancer patient Nancy Mayne, who was starting chemotherapy treatments at Pluta Cancer Center in Rochester.
O’Keefe noticed that some of the chemo drugs left her mother shivering. This was also the case for other chemo patients.
“Because of the drugs, they get cold no matter what,” said O’Keefe. “All they had there were the cotton hospital blankets.”
It was then that the mother of two started sewing comforters for patients and giving them away to Pluta patients. She started with one “chemo quilt” and has made it her mission to eventually offer a handmade quilt to every patient undergoing chemo treatments in Rochester.
Now her project has gotten national attention. O’Keefe’s sister, Marti Mayne, published an article about her sister’s efforts and entered it into a contest called “America Inspired,” sponsored by the website Examiner.com.
Her story, listed in the “Sacrifice” category, was chosen among 25 finalists from across the country. Now, O’Keefe is in the running for a $50,000 first prize. Runners up will receive $10,000 for their cause. O’Keefe is the only finalist from Upstate New York.
If she wins, she plans to start a non-profit organization dedicated to helping cancer patients. She’s already been recruited to create quilts for the American Cancer Society events as far away as New Hampshire.
O’Keefe has been sewing since seventh grade. She volunteers twice a week at Craft Bits & Pieces, a charitable craft store in Fairport that helps sponsor programming for senior citizens, where she provides more handmade quilt toppers that are sold and given away.
Throughout it all, she considers the time-consuming process a labor of love.
“It makes me so happy to know that I can ease a small amount of the enormous pain that a lot of people have to go through when they have cancer,” she said. “If I can make a teeny bit of difference in their lives, it’s worth it.”
To vote for Susan, click here and click on her story in the “Sacrifice” category. Votes may be cast until Friday, Jan. 27, and winners will be announced on Feb. 1.
When cancer struck close to home, Penfield woman Susan O’Keefe wanted to use her talents to help. Two years ago, she left her job with two kids in college to care for her mother, cancer patient Nancy Mayne, who was starting chemotherapy treatments at Pluta Cancer Center in Rochester.
O’Keefe noticed that some of the chemo drugs left her mother shivering. This was also the case for other chemo patients.
“Because of the drugs, they get cold no matter what,” said O’Keefe. “All they had there were the cotton hospital blankets.”
It was then that the mother of two started sewing comforters for patients and giving them away to Pluta patients. She started with one “chemo quilt” and has made it her mission to eventually offer a handmade quilt to every patient undergoing chemo treatments in Rochester.
Now her project has gotten national attention. O’Keefe’s sister, Marti Mayne, published an article about her sister’s efforts and entered it into a contest called “America Inspired,” sponsored by the website Examiner.com.
Her story, listed in the “Sacrifice” category, was chosen among 25 finalists from across the country. Now, O’Keefe is in the running for a $50,000 first prize. Runners up will receive $10,000 for their cause. O’Keefe is the only finalist from Upstate New York.
If she wins, she plans to start a non-profit organization dedicated to helping cancer patients. She’s already been recruited to create quilts for the American Cancer Society events as far away as New Hampshire.
O’Keefe has been sewing since seventh grade. She volunteers twice a week at Craft Bits & Pieces, a charitable craft store in Fairport that helps sponsor programming for senior citizens, where she provides more handmade quilt toppers that are sold and given away.
Throughout it all, she considers the time-consuming process a labor of love.
“It makes me so happy to know that I can ease a small amount of the enormous pain that a lot of people have to go through when they have cancer,” she said. “If I can make a teeny bit of difference in their lives, it’s worth it.”
To vote for Susan, click here and click on her story in the “Sacrifice” category. Votes may be cast until Friday, Jan. 27, and winners will be announced on Feb. 1.
