There were 47 hats and 3 shawls brought to the October 2014 meeting. PLUS Linda made Amy a special scarf in purple. It's a great pattern that incorporates the Cancer Awareness Ribbon.

October has been our Purple Month for the past 2 years, as we remember Cheryl Slater and donate items to the Harbor Room in Cambridge, a cancer resource center Cheryl benefited from during her fight with Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

And (unplanned!) most of our group wore purple to the meet-up!

Plus there was a lot of red, white and blue at the meeting as we all worked on our large projects for the VA Hospital in November. Can't wait to see them all done!!

Team Yarn was started in memory of Cheryl Slater.

Drop off hats, scarves, shawls and afghans for cancer patients

Want to donate to Team Yarn - Head Huggers in memory of lifelong Isanti County resident Cheryl Slater, but don’t have time to drive down to the Twin Cities?

Team Yarn organizers have made it easier for Isanti County residents to donate to their cause. A donation box has been added at the Century 21 - Moline Reality office at 202 Main St. S. in Cambridge. The office is open Mondays to Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you're planning to drop by on Saturday, please call 763-689-3593 to be sure the agent hasn't stepped out for a real estate showing.

"We believe in supporting community organizations, like Team Yarn and the Harbor Room, and are very excited to make our office available for these generous donations," said Carrie Gibbs of Century 21 Moline Realty. "Many of us have been affected by cancer and organizations such as these help families cope and find peace."

Feel free to drop by handmade hats, scarves, afghans, and shawls. Items should be handmade, new, washable, free of smoke and pet hair. Please bag your items together, and include your contact information in case Team Yarn has any questions.

All items will be distributed to hospitals and local organizations to support cancer patients here in Minnesota.

Team Yarn is a satellite group of Head Huggers, a national organization. It was started by former Isanti County residents Amy (Slater) Pass and Tesha M. Christensen Pettit after Amy’s mother, Cheryl Slater, passed away in October 2012.

Slater was diagnosed with Merkel Cell Carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, in December 2011. “She began chemotherapy in the winter of 2012, and we quickly learned that a head without hair grows cold very fast! Cheryl was blessed to receive handmade gifts of hats and scarves from family members and the cancer support center in her hospital to keep her warm,” noted Pass.

“Each gift was received with gratitude and was deeply appreciated. It's amazing how meaningful such a simple gift can be.”

Team Yarn made its first donation to the Harbor Room at the Cambridge Medical Center in January 2013. The February donation will go to the Richard M. Schulze Family American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Minneapolis. In March, donations will be presented to the Children’s Hospital of St. Paul. Find patterns and more information on the group’s web site: http://teamyarn.blogspot.com.

For more information, email Amy Pass at amyinthewind@gmail.com.

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.

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

Dr. Paul Nhgiem is the leading researcher on MCC.

Order a t-shirt for $20 and support research.

We at Team Yarn are passionate about spreading awareness and helping those with cancer catch it early. In particular, we want to increase awareness of the rare and aggressive form of skin cancer that Amy’s 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 1/3 of those diagnosed with MCC die.

What is Merkel Cell Carcinoma?

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), sometimes referred to as a neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin, arises from the uncontrolled growth of Merkel cells in the skin. It is a rare skin cancer with roughly 1500 cases per year in the United States, making it about 40 times less common than melanoma. MCC has the potential to be lethal, and thus prompt aggressive treatment is warranted. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) occurs most often on the sun-exposed face, head, and neck.

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.

MCC is caused by a virus in 8 out of 10 cases. It’s a virus that many get as children, but the virus causes cancer only rarely. A series of molecular events must occur for tumors to develop, and each of these events is rare. Various studies provide hope that the human immune system one day could be recruited to help clear tumors in some patients. Researchers are looking for ways to  stimulate virus-specific immunity.

What does MCC look like?

MCC usually develops on sun-exposed skin as a firm, painless, flesh-colored to red-violet bump. The initial small bump tends to grow rapidly over weeks to months.

What is a Merkel cell?

Merkel cells are found in the epidermis (outer layer of the skin). Although the exact function of Merkel cells is unknown, they are thought to be touch receptors. They have both sensory and hormonal functions and are sometimes referred to as neuroendocrine cells.

Who gets MCC?

Individuals over the age of 65 are far more likely to develop MCC. Fair skin and a history of extensive sun exposure also increase the chances. This cancer is found most commonly on sun exposed areas of the body (e.g., head, neck, arms) in older Caucasian individuals, who may also have other sun-induced skin cancers. MCC is associated with weakened immune function, such as in patients with HIV or organ transplants. However, most people who get MCC are not immune suppressed.

What immune problems make beating MCC more difficult?

People with severe defects in "T lymphocytes" (key cells of the immune system) have a 10-30 times greater chance of developing MCC and twice the chance of losing the battle with MCC compared to people with a normal immune system. The conditions that cause such severe T lymphocyte defects include HIV (AIDS), taking immune suppressive drugs after solid organ transplantation, and certain immune cancers such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In contrast, suffering from more "colds" than average will not importantly affect your ability to fight MCC.

Research

The leading research team in the world is based in Seattle under the direction of Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD.  Dr. Nghiem oversees both the clinic and research teams at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. He has cared for over 500 patients with MCC and has read, lectured and written about this uncommon and challenging disease. His contributions to the MCC literature can be viewed at his laboratory website at http://www.pnlab.org.

Get connected

• Google Group - Online support group for those diagnosed with MCC and their families http://groups.google.com/group/merkelcell
• MerkelCell.org - Web site run by MCC researchers
• Wikipedia page
• Merkel Cell Fund Facebook group