Every quilt is made of a cotton top, soft flannelette backing and a thin layer of batting. And each represents a virtual hug, giving spiritual comfort with the stress and anxiety of a cancer diagnosis, and physical comfort as it provides warmth during chemotherapy.
The quilts are handmade by close to 1,000 volunteers located in communities across Canada. In many cases, groups will get together to work on a quilt, similar to the quilting bees of days gone by.
VQ members with quilts donated by the Fabric Stashers Guild.
From Left: Sharron Blaine, Joyce Brenton, Donna Sandy, Laurel McLennan,
Marilyn Lichtenstein, Bev Maxwell, Ruth Hildebrandt and Laura Deschner
In other cases, individuals work on their own and donate the finished product. In Western Canada, branches in Calgary, Drumheller, Okotoks and Rocky Mountain House distribute quilts in their communities.
In the nine years that Victoria’s Quilts Canada has been in operation, over 16,000 quilts have been distributed to every province and territory.
With the number of people stricken with cancer continually rising, VQC has seen a marked increase in the demand for quilts, and this trend is expected to continue.
VQC is actively looking for new people interested in sewing or quilting, or any of the non-sewing positions that need to be filled. VQC’s many volunteers find it a most rewarding and fulfilling experience. And people who have received their quilts attest to the spiritual and physical warmth they provide.
Donna Sandy with a completed quilt
For more information, to request a quilt, or to make a donation, please contact: Calgary@victoriasquiltscanada.com or visit www.victoriasquiltscanada.com. Anyone interested in starting a branch in their community can call 613-843-9212 or email betty@victoriasquiltscanada.com.
