“ I’m 8 years old and I’m in hospital because of my belly. It’s too full. I’ve been here for a few days and it happened last year as well. I think it’s exciting here because everyone is nice and they have chocolate mousse. When I’m well I go to St Josephs school at Coraki. I do Tae Kwon Do. I just started this year and I’m up 3 belts already. I’m on green tip belt. I really like my quilt and I can take it home with me.”
Carol and Caroline – “ Quilts for Kids was founded in 2006 to provide something for the local kids who were going through the system, a little something from the local community. There are quilters from all over the Northern Rivers who make quilts free of charge for Quilts for Kids.
The thing about the quilts is they are a great source of comfort. They are physical comfort but also an emotional comfort and a visual interest for kids in hospital. As you just saw with Jack, having a quilt on your bed is a little bit of home. It’s also something they can take home . If they do need to return to hospital it’s something that is then theirs. It’s something to hang onto when they are struggling through treatment.
We show the kids a booklet of photos and they can pick the quilt they love. Obviously the parents pick the designs for the tiny ones. We try and keep the cupboard in the children’s ward stocked with all the choices. The kids range from 0 – 18. We come in every week to check how they are for quilts. The nurses love it as they get to give the quilts to the children.
They brighten the beds in the wards. It’s a very simple thing but what it represents is multi-layered.
We used to send quilts to Brisbane and Sydney and that’s why Diana started it here. We were making them and sending them away and realised our local kids should get them. We then took it over from Diana. The feedback from the kids and their parents very much reinforces how appreciated it is particularly through very difficult times. It’s something to make them feel individual and special.
823 quilts have been made and given to us so far and we have 150 in stock so we’ve given away almost 700 quilts. We have other people who help support by donating fabric and op-shots who help us collect fabric.
We also make quilts for the other wards within the hospital. The Special Care nursery for the babies down there. We’ve seen the little quilts that the parents have chosen on the humidicribs. We also give quilts to the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Unit and that’s a different format. We give a group of 10 – 20 quilts at a time to the unit. They put the quilts in common areas, beds, lounges and over chairs for all to use. If people get attached to them they can take them.
We love doing it. Quilters want to quilt so it gives us an audience and I know I’ve tried many different patterns that I wouldn’t have otherwise by imagining who it may go to on one of these wards. It’s a win win situation. If you have remnant fabric don’t throw it out, we can definitely find a home for it.”