Fredericton church group knits for breast cancer survivors

A Fredericton church group is using their knitting skills to help women who have had mastectomies because of breast cancer.

The Greenwood Drive Baptist Church group Willing Hands is making cloth bags to hold drainage bags from the surgery and "Knitted Knockers" lightweight woolen breast prostheses.

Diane Murray, the group's organizer, said there are several ways their knitting is helping out.

"This is to provide a prosthesis for people who maybe can't afford the outlay of the cost of a prosthesis. They're quite expensive. Or they have a prosthesis and want to try something lighter for around the house," said Murray.

• Knitted Knockers handmade for breast cancer survivors 
• Knitted Knockers provide soft landing for breast cancer survivors​

Catherine Reid, who had a mastectomy because of breast cancer, now volunteers with Helping Hands and uses the prosthesis.  She said she has heard positive feedback about the Knitted Knockers.

"They think they're wonderful and I think mine are wonderful," said Reid.

Murray said the group is made up of many different people from a wide variety of ages.

"It's intergenerational. We have people who are younger ... our oldest member is 98," said Murray.

Reid said Knitted Knockers groups now have a worldwide reach, and her group is keen to keep going.

"We'll keep knitting and stuffing and giving away as long as there's a need and I think that will more or less be forever. Unless there's a cure," said Reid.

Murray said you would be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't been affected either directly or indirectly by breast cancer. That's made the name "Knitted Knockers" more acceptable, and has given the issue more prominence.

Although there are some places where using the name still raises eyebrows, she said.

"It's surprising to hear the pastor from the pulpit say 'The ladies from the Knitted Knockers group,'" said Murray.