Organizers would like to give them at popular breast cancer fund-raiser.
Michelle L Shattuck, left, breast cancer survivor who co-chaired the steering committee for last year's 17th Annual Rays of Hope: A Walk Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer and Run Toward the Cure 8K in Greenfield, and Sandy F. Thomas, chairperson of the fund-raiser's Pink Scarf Project in Greenfield with scarfs that were knitted for the event.
Two years ago, Sandy Thomas was asked to chair the steering committee for the Greenfield segment of the popular Rays of Hope breast cancer walk-fund-raiser that has raised $9.25 million since its inception 17 years ago.
In search of a unique touch for the cancer survivors attending that year’s walk, she stumbled upon the website of Christa Gampp, a Canadian artist working on a project in honor of her mother, who had died of breast cancer.
Gampp had begun knitting a pink scarf and then sent it to her sisters and friends, who added their own inches and passed it along.
After the two women corresponded by email, Thomas was delighted when Gampp offered to send the scarf to Greenfield, sparking the now-annual Pink Scarf Project.
Thomas and other knitters from the Greenfield Rays of Hope community made their own additions to the scarf, and then displayed it in the Pink Hope Lounge (a tent where breast cancer survivors can stop for free massages, reiki treatments and goodie bags) at that year’s walk.
“We added another 180 feet before we sent it back to her!” Thomas said.
She thought the scarf was a beautiful and unifying acknowledgment of the struggle that breast cancer survivors endure, but, she admitted, laughing, “it was so impractical.”
Last year she began a new, related initiative, asking people to knit or somehow make individual scarves and donate them.
The scarves decorated the walls of the Pink Hope Lounge and survivors were welcomed to pick one they liked to “wrap themselves in support.”
The Pink Scarf Project will be on view at the 18th Annual Rays of Hope — A Walk Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer and 2nd annual Run Toward the Cure 8K on Oct. 23 in both the Springfield and Greenfield locations.
Last year’s event raised more than $900,000, the highest to date.
Funds are used to support programs and services for breast cancer patients and survivors, breast health education and research, and the purchase of equipment at Baystate Regional Center Program’s Comprehensive Breast Center, Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware and various community projects.
This spring, the foundation announced that it was using $1.5 million from Rays of Hope to help establish The center the Rays of Hope Center for Breast Cancer Research, a collaboration between Baystate Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst at the Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute in Springfield.
Sandy Hubbard, the Rays of Hope outreach coordinator and the chairperson for the Pink Hope Lounge in Springfield, is a nurse practitioner at the Comprehensive Breast Center and has been working with the program since its inception.
In addition to helping raise money, Hubbard said “the walk is a great opportunity to come with your family, friends or support group and enjoy a fun day.”
The walk has a festive atmosphere, featuring area musicians as live entertainment and several different stations, including a food tent and, of course, the Pink Hope Lounge (also known as the Survivors’ Tent).
Hubbard is looking forward to adding the pink scarves to the other gifts given to survivors in Springfield’s Pink Hope Lounge at this year’s walk.
She said that there are usually about 400 survivors who stop to pick up goodie bags and pink T-shirts, and hopes to receive enough donations to give every one of them their own pink scarf to match.
Lynn Jones, of Ambridge, Penn., heard about the Pink Scarf Project from her son, who participated in last year’s walk in Greenfield. He knew she liked to knit and recommended that she donate some to the Pink Scarf Project.
“I was knitting scarves like crazy,” Jones said. “This gave me a good purpose for them.”
Jones, a nurse, has already donated eight pink scarves for this year’s walk-run that always takes place during breast cancer awareness month.
Those who wish to contribute are asked to knit (or crochet, weave or otherwise make) a scarf long enough for an adult woman in any shade of pink.
Completed scarves should be delivered by Oct. 14 to both the Springfield and Greenfield locations.
In Springfield , mail or deliver to the outreach office of Rays of Hope, 3400A Main St., Second Floor, Springfield, MA 01107. Attn: Sue-Ann Hilton.
In Greenfield, mail or deliver to the Development Office at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, 164 High Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 Attn: Phyllis Roy.
For more information, call (413) 794-8001 or visit the website at baystatehealth.org/raysofhope.
Event: 18th Annual Rays of Hope — A Walk Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer 2nd annual Run Toward the Cure 8K
When: Oct. 23, rain or shine, 9 a.m. registration for 10:15 a.m. run and 10:30 walk from Temple Beth El through Forest Park in Springfield; registration 10 a.m. for noon step off at Energy Park in Greenfield
Where: Temple Beth El, 979 Dickinson St., Springfield; Energy Park on Miles Street, Greenfield
Cost: Register online at baystatehealth.org/raysofhope.
and create your own website to fund-raise online
For more info: Above website or call (413) 794-8001