Team Yarn honors Isanti resident Cheryl Slater

by Rachel Kytonen
Isanti County News

published Jan. 30, 2013
click here for original link: http://isanticountynews.com/2013/01/30/team-yarn-honors-isanti-resident-cheryl-slater/


An organization that began in honor of the passing of an Isanti mother due to cancer is making a difference in the local community.

Cheryl Slater was a lifelong Isanti County resident. During the 11 months she battled a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, she appreciated the assistance she received from the Harbor Room at the Cambridge Medical Center.

On Monday, Jan. 28, Team Yarn donated several hats, scarves, shawls and afghans to the Harbor Room Cancer Resource Center, located inside Cambridge Medical Center.

Organizers Amy (Slater) Pass and Tesha M. (Christensen) Pettit explained Team Yarn’s mission is to provide the comfort of hats, scarves, shawls and afghans to people who are fighting cancer.

Pass, a 1996 Chadashchay Christian School graduate who currently resides in south Minneapolis, lost her mother, Cheryl Slater, to cancer on Oct. 20, 2012. Cheryl received a diagnosis of Merkel Cell Carcinoma, a rare form of skin cancer, in November 2011. Over the next 11 months, she fought a heroic battle with grace and strength.

Cheryl’s husband, Brad Slater, works as a carpenter and continues to live in Isanti. He is also involved in missions in Mexico and Utah part-time.

The Harbor Room Cancer Resource Center is available to anyone affected by cancer where patients and family can find the support they need both during and after treatment.

Online and printed resources provide the latest information on cancer prevention and screening. Many support groups and interesting classes are offered, including art and yoga. Wigs, hats and prosthetics are also available, and an understanding staff and compassionate team of volunteers are on hand to listen or talk. Most of the services the Harbor Room provides are offered free of charge.

On Monday, Jan. 28, Team Yarn donated several crocheted hats, scarves, shawls and more to the Harbor Room Cancer Resource Center located inside Cambridge Medical Center. Pictured in back are Amy (Slater) Pass and Bonnie Gutzkow-Bowman, coordinator of the Harbor Room. In front are Tesha M. (Christensen) Pettit and Amy’s daughter Aurora and Tesha’s son Axel. Photo by Rachel Kytonen

“My mom was diagnosed with Merkel Cell Carcinoma in 2011, and she began chemotherapy in the winter of 2012,” Pass  said. “We quickly learned that a head without hair grows cold very fast. I began crocheting chemo caps for her right away, as did my sister-in-law, and my mom was also blessed to receive handmade gifts from the cancer support center in her hospital. Each gift was loved and appreciated. It’s amazing how meaningful such a simple gift can be.”

Team Yarn is a satellite group of Head Huggers, a national organization. They have extended their mission beyond hats, and they invite the community to also donate scarves, shawls and afghans. All items will be distributed to hospitals and local organizations to support cancer patients here in Minnesota.

Pass said she wants to give back to the Harbor Room since it helped her mother when she was going through cancer.

“My mom received a number of items from the Harbor Room when she was first diagnosed with cancer, and I wanted them to be the recipients of our first Team Yarn donations,” Pass said. “It’s really because of the Harbor Room and the items my mom received from there that I even thought of doing something like Team Yarn. I watched the growth of the short stay/chemotherapy unit at Cambridge Medical Center firsthand over the course of the year that my mom was treated there, and I know that Cambridge Medical Center is treating a growing number of cancer patients. Though this is sadly unfortunate, it means that our help is all the more needed.”

Pettit is a 1996 graduate of Cambridge-Isanti High School and currently lives in south Minneapolis. However, her parents, Rande and Vickie Christensen remain in the Cambridge community.

The Slater family. Front row, left to right, Cheryl and Brad Slater. Middle: Aurora Pass. Top, left to right: Gabriel Pass, Amy Pass, Francisca Pass and Ulises Contreras.

“The Harbor Room and its volunteers have been quietly comforting the sick in our community for years,” Pettit said. “They do it in small ways—which are really big ways. That’s what our Team Yarn mission is, as well. We want to bring comfort during trying times.

“I am inspired to be a part of this because of Cheryl Slater, a woman I knew for most of my life. She was beautiful, strong, and courageous. She is a person who is sorely missed.  Nothing will bring her back, but helping others provides a path through our loss,” Pettit added.

Team Yarn has about 20 members, including people from California, North Carolina, New York and Canada. Pass and Pettit explained most of them have roots in the Isanti County area, either living there now or having grown up there. Others are Cheryl Slater’s relatives, who are honored to do something in memory of her. In Team Yarn’s first month, over 40 finished items were donated.

“We’d love to see more people join the team,” said Pass. “We can use all the help we can get.”

Items should be handmade, new, washable, free of smoke and pet hair. Team Yarn has an informal monthly meeting where you can drop off your projects or stay and craft with them. The meetings are held the third Sunday of each month from noon to 3 p.m. at Silverwood Cafe at Silverwood Park in St. Anthony.

About Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Team Yarn is passionate about spreading awareness and helping those with cancer catch it early. In particular, they want to increase awareness of the rare and aggressive form of skin cancer that Pass’ mom, Cheryl, battled. Since MCC is an uncommon malignancy, few patients are familiar with the disease and few doctors are familiar with its treatment.

Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a skin cancer, but while most skin cancers are nothing to fear, MCC is one with a high mortality rate. Roughly one-third of those diagnosed with MCC die. There are roughly 1500 cases diagnosed per year in the United States, making it about 40 times less common than melanoma.

MCC is associated with immunosuppression, UV exposure, age over 50 and a newly discovered polyomavirus that is common on the normal-appearing skin of most people. The cause of MCC has not yet been firmly established, and therapeutic interventions at late stage disease are frustratingly ineffective. Researchers are investigating immune evasion strategies employed by MCC, and how to overcome them using immunotherapy approaches—which as the potential to help anyone with cancer.

For more information
For more information email Amy Pass at amyinthewind@gmail.com. You can also mail your projects to: Team Yarn, c/o Amy Pass, 2536 18th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404.

You can also browse http://teamyarn.blogspot.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/TeamYarnHeadHuggers.

For more information on the Harbor Room call 763-688-8415.

Look for us in the Isanti County News this week. Editor Rachel Kytonen has written a story about Team Yarn and our recent donation to the Harbor Room.

I'll post a link to the story once it is on their web site!

The Harbor Room is a source of comfort and strength to people affected by cancer. It is staffed by compassionate volunteers, most of who have been touched in some way by cancer.

Opened in 2005, the Harbor Room is nestled inside the Cambridge Medical Center in Cambridge, Minn., to the left of the main doors.

Most of the services offered are at no charge.

For more information, call 763-688-8415. Click here for the web site.
Hours are: Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

SERVICES/RESOURCES:

Wigs/Hats/Head Scarves
A wide range of styles and options are available to try in private or with assistance from a Harbor Room volunteer. All are available at no charge to anyone currently in treatment.

Mastectomy bras/Prosthetics
Many sizes are available and are provided at no cost.

Support groups
Men and women's support groups offered monthly at the Harbor Room. The women's support group meets on the first Thursday of each month from 2-3:30 p.m. The men's group meets on the third Tuesday from 3-4:30 p.m. These groups are open to anyone who has been touched by cancer. Free refreshments.

Lending Library
Books and other reference materials are available to read in the Harbor Room or to check out to take home.

Internet Resources
Visitors are welcome to access the Internet to find information and resources. Volunteers are available to assist, if desired.

Yoga
The 'Breathe, Stretch, Relax' yoga class is offered periodically throughout the year. A limited number of slots are available at no cost to cancer patients and their supporters.

Art Therapy
Different artistic modalities are offered throughout the year. Call the Harbor Room for details and class offerings. 763-688-8415

"Beautiful You' Make-Up Application Program
 Looking better and feeling better often go hand-in-hand. This special program provides make-up application tips, as well as options for dealing with hair loss, for women who are undergoing treatment or have completed treatment within the past six months. All participants receive approximately $200 in quality make-up and supplies at no cost. Meeting are the second Thursday of each month from 6:30-8p.m. in the Harbor Room. Register by calling 763-688-8415.

Book Club
The book club meets monthly. There are a limited number of openings. Call for more information.

Knitting/Crocheting Group
This group meets twice a month. It is open to anyone interested in learning to crochet or knit, or to those who would like to continue their craft.

Chemo Visits
Anyone who would like a visit from a Harbor Room volunteer while getting treatment at Cambridge Medical Center can call the Harbor Room to set up a visit.

The Hope Fund
This emergency fund helps those who are actively receiving care for breast cancer to pay for their basic living expenses. Applications are available in the Harbor Room. The Hope Fund is funded through the generous support of the Minnesota Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Today, on behalf of our Team Yarn - Head Huggers group, Amy and I visited the Harbor Room in Cambridge and presented them with our first collection of 40 items.

The Harbor Room in Cambridge offers a wide range of resources, information, support and guidance to individuals with cancer and those who support them. It's a calm, comfortable space with an abundance of useful resources to help those going through the cancer journey cope with some of the issues surrounding cancer care and treatment. Amy's mom was greatly assisted by the Harbor Room during her fight with cancer. It was very meaningful to give our first donations to them.

As Amy said:
"My mom received a number of items from the Harbor Room when she was first diagnosed with cancer, and I wanted them to be the recipients of our first Team Yarn donations. It's really because of the Harbor Room and the items my mom received from there that I even thought of doing something like Team Yarn.

"I watched the growth of the short stay/chemotherapy unit at Cambridge Medical Center firsthand over the course of the year that my mom was treated there, and I know that Cambridge Medical Center is treating a growing number of cancer patients. Though this is sadly unfortunate, it means that our help is all the more needed."

Bonnie Gutzkow-Bowman of the Harbor Room told us that they will give away as much as they have.

To contact the Harbor Room, call 763-689-8415.

Bonnie from the Harbor Room

Hats and scarves currently at the Harbor Room. The Harbor Room also provides wigs, head scarves, mastectomy bras/prosthetics and the "Beautiful You" make-up application program. We enjoyed looking at the items made by the Knit Wits of Braham!

The Harbor Room is located just inside the main door at Cambridge Medical Center. There is a comfortable space with chairs, a rocker, and a couch. There's a computer for doing research, and large library. It is staffed by volunteers.

The Harbor Room informational table. The more you know...

Our box full of donations

The lending library at the Harbor Room. Most services offered here are free.

While we were there, Bonnie from the Harbor Room gave back to us. She gave us a rack to display hats on! We'll be using it for future photos of our donated items!! Thanks so much, Bonnie!

Thanks to everyone who came out to our first Team Yarn meeting on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. We sat near the roaring fire on comfortable couches, and enjoyed delicious drinks and snacks from the cafe. If you didn't have a chance to join us, we hope you'll come next month.

We meet each month on the third Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at Silverwood Park in St. Anthony.

 

Showcasing our MCC Awareness shirts

All yarns are not created equally.

Here at Team Yarn, we're on a journey and we're learning as we go. We are discovering that although a specific type of yarn may feel soft on our hands, it does not feel as soft on our heads.

For cancer patients, it is especially important that we knit and crochet items from only the softest yarns, as they have especially sensitive skin.

When purchasing yarn, a good rule of thumb is to:
- Rub the yarn across your face.

If it feels soft on your cheeks, it's is soft enough. But if there is a hint of roughness, it won't work.

We have tested out a few methods of softening yarn recently. We’ve had some success with washing and drying hats in order to soften them. We’ve also tried washing the yarn skeins themselves, placing them in lingere bags in the washer. While that works somewhat, it tends to make a big mess of the yarn. We’ve also heard that using shampoo and condition on yarn helps soften it. While these methods seem to help, it doesn’t make rough yarn soft.

To ensure that your end product is soft enough for the sensitive head of a cancer patient, start with a yarn that feels soft on your face.

Amy has posted a number of specific yarns that we know are soft enough on the Yarn, Patterns & Guidelines page. Click here to browse through the list.

It is our hope that Team Yarn will develop into a project that stretches far and wide, that many people will participate over the course of the coming months and years, and that we will be able to offer donations of handmade comfort items to a variety of places. Thanks to many of  YOU, we are off to a fantastic start already! We have yarn to work with and several completed items.

So, last week, knowing we would definitely have a boxful of items ready to donate, I made a phone call to the Harbor Room at the Cambridge Medical Center. The Harbor Room is a cancer and chronic conditions resource center within the hospital. My mom received a number of items from the Harbor Room when she was first diagnosed with cancer, and I wanted to honor them with our first set of donations. I spoke with Bonnie Gutzkow-Bowman, who said that the Harbor Room can always use more donations. The more they have, the more they give away. I watched the growth of the chemotherapy unit of the hospital firsthand over the course of the year that my mom was treated there, and I know that Cambridge Medical Center is treating a growing number of cancer patients. Though this is sadly unfortunate, it means that our help is all the more needed. We have set a date to bring our first Team Yarn donations to the Harbor Room this month! And it looks like we'll be in the newspaper...so, stay tuned for that!

Please join us for our first meeting this coming Sunday, at Silverwood Cafe in St. Anthony, MN (details in the right sidebar). If you can, we'd love to have a few of your finished items by that date to put in the box for the Harbor Room.

If you cannot make it to the meeting, and you have finished items to donate, please send them along in the mail or email me if you'd like to drop them at my house. Any items for the Harbor Room will need to be in my hands by next week!

And, if you're booked this month, but you'd like to join us another time, we'll be having regular monthly meetings, and we'll need the support of both new and returning people to keep this Team running! Stay tuned for meeting dates!

Remember, you can also find us on facebook & ravelry, and you can receive email updates from this blog by entering your email in the right sidebar.

Despite the holidays, Amy has been hard at work and has finished a bunch of projects. Me, well, I'm working at a much slower pace. I'm still learning and because I want this scarf I am making to be B-E-AU-tiful, I've spent a fair amount of time ripping things out and redoing rows. While I'm slow now, I know that I'll get better the more I practice. If you're a beginner too, we can commiserate and learn together!

AMY'S WORK:

Find this pattern at: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chunky-hat-6

Find this pattern at: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chunky-hat-6

Find this pattern at: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crocheted-hat-with-brim

Find this pattern at: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crocheted-hat-with-brim

Find this pattern at: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/claudette-scarf

Tesha's (in-progress) work:

Find this pattern at: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/urban-shells