Calgary organization helping breast cancer survivors regain their confidence

Every year, close to 30,000 women across Canada are diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

A grassroots, volunteer-run organization that started in Calgary aims to make a difference in the lives of all those women.

Knitted Knockers was started in 2015 by a woman named Kim Tomlin, who was inspired by a similar initiative in Arizona.

The organization provides free knitted prosthetics to women with breast cancer who have had mastectomies or lumpectomies.

Thousands of women have used Knitted Knockers since the program started, with almost 9,000 prosthetics distributed to date.

First-hand experience

Donna Hreys is a retired registered nurse and ultrasound technician whose daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and underwent a double mastectomy.

After complaining about how heavy, hot, and awkward the prosthetics were, Hreys got her daughter some Knitted Knockers.

Then in 2016, Hreys herself was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a partial mastectomy.

Knitted Knockers had such a positive impact on Hreys that she ended up taking the reins from Tomlin.

“Unfortunately, she had some illness in her family and I offered to take over,” Hreys says, who has been managing Knitted Knockers since late 2018.

Making a difference

Hreys says a small thing can be life-changing for women who have survived breast cancer.

“Breast cancer is incredibly difficult to go through. You don’t only lose your breasts, often you lose fingernails, toenails, eyelashes, your hair, your nose hair,” Hreys says.

“When you do come out of it after chemo and radiation, you just don’t feel even human. So this is a way of getting back to at least looking better… a positive attitude and feeling better about yourself. It makes all the difference in the world.”

Hreys recently provided some Knitted Knockers to a hospice patient.

“[She] knew she was passing and wanted to look her best for pictures because people were starting to visit her. And her wish was to have her breasts back because she had had a mastectomy,” Hreys says.

“She sent us a really nice thank-you along with her last letter to her family. That brought tears to my eyes and it made us realize that this is a wonderful thing we’re doing.”

Positive feedback

After surviving breast cancer, many women struggle to afford prosthetics.

“The medical silicone ones that they offer, the government, unfortunately, doesn’t pay for them fully,” Hreys says, adding they can range from $300 to $600 each.

“The government will give a person $300 every two or three years for replacement. So the cost is incredible.”

Silicone prosthetics can also be uncomfortable, and Hreys says the feedback when women try Knitted Knockers is very positive.

“A lot of people have said that it’s a godsend, that they just feel like there’s nothing in there. They’re very light, very airy, easy to wash, and they’re free.”

Enormous community support

Knitted Knockers provides prosthetics for free thanks to community support.

Hreys says she has a team of about 100 amazing volunteer knitters across Canada who craft the knockers, each taking approximately four hours.

“They spend their time and energy knitting these things for us. So it’s a service that is close to our hearts and we hope we help as many as we can,” Hreys says, adding that Knitted Knockers is run by donations, which are always accepted.

“Just the basic costs are over $100 for a knocker. That includes the knitting time, the yarn, the stuffing, the mailing out, and all that kind of stuff. But we give it free because of donations.”

Anyone who wants to knit a knocker can get a free pattern online.

Complete knockers can be dropped off at numerous shops—where yarn can also be purchased and donated to knitters.

Hreys says Knickers ‘N Lace is a strong supporter of Knitted Knockers.

“We will actually send samples to them along with information and they can give them to the client that comes in and gets fitted with a knocker,” she says.

Message of perseverance 

Hreys’ message to anyone going through breast cancer is: don’t give up.

“Hang in there. It’s a horrible, horrible thing to go through, but there is an end,” she says.

“Have faith and follow what the doctors say. We’re so lucky in Canada that we can get support, medication, treatments, and everything else through our medical system.”

Hreys also recommends yearly mammograms and frequent self-examinations, which is how both she and her daughter found their lumps and caught the cancer early.

“The quicker you do, the less surgery and invasive procedures you have to go through and, of course, the more chance that you will survive.”