Seniors knit prosthetic breasts for cancer patients to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month

CHARLOTTE — Residents at a senior living community partnered with Charlotte Yarns to crochet and knit prosthetic breasts for breast cancer patients and survivors ahead of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

They call the crocheted or knitted prosthetics “knockers,” described as soft and comfortable hand-made prosthetics that are a better alternative to traditional prosthetics, which are heavy and require a special bra.

Phyllis Haygood, a resident at the Barclay at SouthPark Senior Living Community and a breast cancer survivor, oversaw the initiative.

“I have created knockers in the past, but we decided to introduce the initiative to residents at The Barclay at SouthPark, who want to contribute,” she said.

Charlotte Yarns provided all the necessary tools to success.

“We give them to anyone who wants to make knockers,” Phyllis, a co-owner of Charlotte Yarns, said.

Some residents learned how to knit or crochet just to participate in this project. Those involved knit on their own time and come meet on Fridays to check on progress.

Each knocker takes about one hour to knit, and Phyllis expects around 100 knocks to be knit by the participants.

The knockers will be donated to Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute.

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