Watching “The Magic Yarn Project” on the news was a quick reminder of how Suffield’s United Church of Christ is contributing to the project in a big way.
The Magic Yarn Project creates whimsical wigs and beanies for children battling cancer and other hair-loss issues. Because chemotherapy treatments often leave a child’s skin too sensitive to wear traditional wigs, the project makes the wigs and beanies with soft acrylic yarns and embellishes them with gems, beads, ribbons, silk flowers, and crocheted starfish and snowflakes.
In August, CBS Sunday Morning featured a story about the project titled “Call it a Good Yarn.” The story said, “There is magic in the air, but no wands, instead only crochet hooks.”
Holly Christensen is the founder and Fairy Godmother of The Magic Yarn Project. She went on to tell how in 2015, Lilly (the daughter of a good friend of Holly’s) was being treated for cancer. Holly made a Rapunzel wig of soft yarn for Princess Lilly, which she happily wore religiously, ultimately creating requests for the wigs by many other little cancer fighters. The Magic Yarn Project was born, and Lilly is cancer free!
The Magic Yarn Project is a national non-profit organization with 10 chapters nationwide. This army of Magic Makers keeps the organization “tightly knit.” Since 2015, the organization reached a 56,000 wig/beanie milestone. Wigs have been delivered to 50 states and 53 countries. Magic Makers are still “hooked” and continue to contribute.
The demand for wigs is not going away. There are over 200,000 children worldwide diagnosed with cancer, 15,000 alone in the United States.
Another child’s story was highlighted. Two-year-old Macklyn was being treated for a cancerous tumor in her head. Mac loved “The Little Mermaid,” so a friend requested a Little Mermaid wig for her. Mac was delighted when she received and opened the beautifully decorated package. Wearing her wig and looking at her reflection in the mirror as the Little Mermaid, she thought she looked so beautiful. It helped her cope with her chemo treatments. Sadly, Mac passed in 2016, but her photo wearing her Little Mermaid wig is displayed on her memorial headstone.
The colorful Disney personality wigs bring joy, encouragement and smiles, and they help the children forget their battle with cancer, transforming them into beautiful, courageous superheroes.
Holly ended the show by saying, “We may not be saving all lives, but what we can do is give love and hope to families. While of course the wish is we eradicate cancer, we can’t do everything, but we can do something.”
Now, back to the Suffield United Church of Christ’s involvement with and contribution to the Magic Yarn Project with Kris Titko’s experience with the project. Kris, the project’s Chapter Leader in Northern Ohio, learned about The Magic Yarn Project in 2018 from a family member who was involved in the project in Arizona. She checked with her local hospitals to see how she could help with the project and learned they were not familiar with the organization. She made up her mind she needed to get involved to make sure our hospitals receive these gifts of joy.
Kris and her husband Doug lost their son Matthew to cancer in 2008 and know how much it means not only to the child, but also the family, to have a little bit of happiness and fun while going through the most devastating time of their lives.
After thorough training, she was approved as a Chapter Leader in 2019. With open arms, her church, the Suffield United Church of Christ, quickly took this project on as a very special Mission Project, and the church has supported the Chapter and welcomed any volunteers to join the workshops held at the church to create these whimsical wigs and beanies.
Kris holds workshops in the community at the Suffield United Church of Christ, where volunteers create the handmade wigs/beanies into a variety of Disney princesses, pirates, superheroes and other beloved characters. The volunteers assemble and style wigs, cut and bundle yarn, bedazzle tiaras, snowflakes and starfish, and decorate envelopes; several of the volunteers are approved crocheters making the beanies and the accessories. There are approximately 10 volunteers who meet on a regular basis.
The wigs are machine-washable when placed in a mesh laundry bag and are delivered in beautiful cellophane packaging and ribbons to our local hospitals: Akron Children’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic, and University Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. The project has also provided Camp Quality with special themed wigs for its week-long summer camp for children fighting cancer.
Kris’ Chapter serving these area hospitals creates approximately 150 wigs every year, and the average cost per wig is $25. The wigs are made 100% by volunteers, funded 100% by donations of yarn and money, and given to patients 100% free of charge. The Magic Yarn Project relies entirely on donated funds to keep sending out the Magic and for getting wigs into the hands of little cancer fighters.
The group is always looking for volunteers. If you would care to learn more about the workshops or make a donation, please contact Kris Titko at [email protected].
Wingfoot Lake State Park Fall Festival 2024, in partnership with the Suffield League, will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Pine Tree Shelter. Enjoy games and activities, spooky trails, hayrides, refreshments, naturalist programs, s’mores and, most of all, TRICK-or-TREAT!!
Also, at the Nature Center learn about bats from 5 to 6 p.m. and spiders from 6 to 7 p.m.
For more information, please call the park office at 330-628-4720.
Mark your calendars for the Suffield Fire Station Open House, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13. The whole family will enjoy food, games and various fire station activities as well as gain information to keep your family safe.
The Suffield United Church of Christ will hold its annual Christmas Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. If you wish to be a crafter and have a booth, please contact Jerry Sisson at 330-699-4342. There are always unique gifts and wonderful baked goods, including apple dumplings. They also have a very delicious lunch.