Heart Pillow Project of Gothenburg

We've Moved!

2011-09-12T14:38:00.000-07:00

We have officially moved!

Come follow us on www.heartpillowgothenburg.com!

Since August 2010...

2011-08-23T22:48:00.001-07:00

7o pillows produced
50 pillows handed out
12 new HPPG members
1 fundraiser
3 sewing/stuffing meetings within our network

Rosa Steget 2011

2011-08-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

Last year, our participation in Rosa Steget was purely project based. We showed up, handed out information, left early (before the runners came back) and got to work filling pillow orders. Our project got a huge boost of momentum from being at Rosa Steget 2010.

This year, we decided to send representatives to walk it and to have someone from HPPG on hand to help out, ie helping our friends at BRO Johanna man their table and fill in where needed. Basically, we just tried to make ourselves as useful as possible on the day of a major breast cancer awareness event, while also being active participants in the actual event. We did that by having someone there early in the day to jump at the chance to help with...anything. Then, at 4:30pm, Linda and Kara set out on the 7km walk around Göteborg as part of a giant pink wave, while Maria stayed in the tent and kept right on helping with the frenzy of selling and handing out prizes. Once our “walkers” were back, it was time for Kara to rejoin Maria behind the scenes.

Our verdict for the day: The organizers and volunteers of Rosa Steget work incredibly hard for a cause that they (and we) believe passionately in. One can’t help but be inspired by these people! And being part of the sea of pink shirts rolling around town is an awesome way to spend a couple hours of a Saturday! We had a great day. (Although, who would have thought that a 7km walk would be the easy part.)

Pardon the moving boxes...

2011-08-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

...we are getting a new address! Over the next few weeks, we will be moving the project's blog over to www.heartpillowgothenburg.com. Well, not so much moving as fixing the place up before we officially "move." But don't worry, we will keep you updated here until the move and we will be keeping this blog up for awhile.

Where have all the PILLOW CASES gone?

2011-08-05T04:37:00.000-07:00

As we plan for the Sensus Study Circle to start (we will let you know the snazzy, fabulous name for that soon) and keep building and expanding contacts, we are also turning our eyes toward Fall Production and Delivery. In addition to what we always need (stuffing and fabric), we also need to replenish our supply of completed cases. Perfect project for all the sewing groups who are just coming back from "vacation!"

We hand deliver!

2011-07-19T00:49:00.000-07:00

Did you know that we are happy and willing to meet a recipient or a family member at Sahlgrenska to deliver a pillow to someone before they go in for surgery or right after? We do!

Just contact us at heartpillowgothenburg@gmail.com a few days in advance (or as soon as you have a surgery date) so we can organize a meeting.

HPPG has a Meeting Point!

2011-07-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

In the past, we have had individuals and groups meet up and sew at their homes or club venues, but we felt that, as we are now an independent NPO, we should have a regular place to meet and make the Heart Pillows. We’ve found it at Sensus studieförbund! We will continue to encourage volunteers to make pillows on their own, but our cooperation with Sensus allows us to create a creative space for production on a regular basis as an organization. Take it from us, group production is awesome!

HPPG Co-director, Maria Linkogle, met with Heidi Simonsen and Frida Ohlsson Sandahl from Sensus to discuss the HPPG starting study circles at their study center near Brunnsparken. In the study circle we will meet once per month and show new volunteers how to sew, stuff and finish pillows and provide previous volunteers the opportunity to meet and share their experience with the new volunteers. We will also try to have guest speakers to let the study circle know how these pillows are beneficial to women who are recovering from breast cancer surgery.

We are looking at doing a daytime study circle, but if there is enough of a demand, we may consider opening an evening circle as well. We will post the day and time when it has been decided.

In addition to the study circles we will also hold our annual meeting this coming September, so keep an eye out for the date!

No rest for the devoted

2011-06-16T03:53:00.000-07:00

After taking a few days to recover from the Pancake Brunch, our focus is now on the next busy time...the summer! The HPPG does not shut down for July. We will keep right on making and handing out pillows. So, if you have a free moment in July to make us cases, plan a stuffing meeting, or just get in touch with us about helping or membership, we will be around. In the meantime, sign-up for Rosa Steget in August. It's money for a great cause. And, take it from us, the energy is amazing!

We love, love, love productive meetings!

2011-05-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

Last week, the AWCG hosted a Stuffing Meeting as part of the program for their May General Meeting. Seventeen rockin’ ladies showed up and stuffed about 25 pillows...plus a couple that just need to be topped off with stuffing. One of the Project’s first recipients came to speak to the group about her experiences with the pillow. (And she became the newest Suppliant on the HPPG Steering Committee!)

And...the HPPG got its first five paid members!

Friends, numbers and a party!

2011-05-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Today was a lovely sunny day in Malmö, Sweden - the location of the Heart Pillow Project of Gothenburg's first face-to-face meeting with another Heart Pillow Project in Sweden. Kara, a HPPG co-director and Ciara, a Heart Pillow Project of Malmö co-director, sat and enjoyed a "working" lunch overlooking the water and Öresund Bridge in Malmö.

It was just one more bit of icing on a week that has been awesome!

On Monday, we received a shiny new organization number from the Swedish Tax Office! We have been working to put all the pieces in place in order to apply for a number for months. The process is not complicated, but it does require planning, thought and foresight. (And an official "formation" meeting, which took place on April 19th.) It took just a week and a half for the number to be granted and for us to officially become what we have worked so hard towards - an official nonprofit organization! Definitely cause for clebration.

We, of course, did it in the only way we know how...

By meeting to plan a party. Ok, so we had scheduled a meeting for Tuesday to plan anyway, but the Steering Committee ladies were definitely still in a celebratory mood! The party will be a family focused Pancake Brunch on June 11th from 10am-12pm. Pancakes - with loads of awesome toppings to choose from, kids games, raffles and a bakesale...need we say more? Of course, you know, we will say more. Stay tuned...

Busy Bees

2011-05-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

Happy May Day!!

May is going to be a busy month for HPPG and our network! The AWCG is hosting a "Case Meeting" early in the month in order to prepare for a "Stuffing Meeting" later on. We all know how much fun those gals have when they get together! We can't wait for an update and (dare we suggest?) photos of the event!

Update: The AWCG group made 14 cases! Not a bad evening's work at all!

Heart Pillow Project in Tennessee

2011-03-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Every now and again, we get asked, "How did the HPP start?" Well, we have told you how we (the HPPG) started, but we thought you might like to know a little about the the project that started the European expansion into Denmark.

2011-01-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

2010-12-30T13:03:00.001-08:00

If there is anything positive about a blog that has not been updated it is this…WE HAVE BEEN BUSY! We at HPPG have had a very productive Fall and start of Winter, so we hope you will forgive us our silence. This Fall, we met with our first outside group of volunteers not associated with the American Women’s Club. Over yummy scones and coffee, we explained to a table full of English Sewing Morning ladies exactly what we are all about. They welcomed us warmly and went on to adopt our cause for a very productive meeting of their own. They have made a wonderful pillow donation to HPPG and we are truly grateful for their hard work! This Fall, the AWCG also hosted a pillow stuffing meeting that resulted in another 13 pillows for HPPG.

If 2011 looks like 2010, it is going to be an awesome year!

Heart Pillow Project FAQ

2010-08-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

Almost all of the pillow orders from Rosa Steget have gone out now. The last delivery is slated for next week. Now we move into the practical side of post-event Project work. That-is-to-say, getting ready to organize another round of pillow making (Three teams: Cutters, Sewers and Stuffers! GO TEAMS!!!) and doing follow-up contacts. For now though, we received some very important questions at Rosa Steget and it's time to do a little mini-FAQ blog.

1) Why are you doing this?
It's a fair question with a very simple answer. We do it because, on a very personal level, we want to do something for women who have or have had breast cancer. We understand how awful it is to watch someone you love in pain and know that - in that moment - you want nothing more than to ease her pain. The Heart Pillow Project is about providing people with something to help their loved one or themselves.

2) I haven't had my surgery yet, do I need to wait until after it is finished to contact you?
Not at all. In fact, the earlier, the better! The Heart Pillow is a fantastic recovery tool in the hospital. If you are pre-op, let us know when you are set to have your surgery and we will be sure to set up delivery or send out your pillow in time for you to have it when you are admitted. You don't have to worry about getting it dirty either because your Heart Pillow is washable at 40C and tolerates regular washing very well.

3) I had my surgery many years ago, but I still feel discomfort. Can I have a pillow?
You bet! In many cases, women experience discomfort years after their breast cancer related surgeries. Many women continue sleeping with a pillow under an arm or still need support when holding their arm in one position for a prolonged period of time. We are here to provide pillows to all women who experience surgery related pain/tension - regardless of how long it has been since their surgeries.

4) If the pillows are free, how do you support the project?
In order to keep each Heart Pillow free (and the women who receive them have enough on their plates!), we rely on donors and sponsors for materials and the costs associated with outreach and delivery. Some of our donors are friends and family members of women who have received pillows.

5) How can I donate?
You can donate either by giving us materials (stuffing, fabric, pre-paid shipping envelopes etc) or by giving money to be used for Project expenses - which would be both material and other costs, such as printing for "outreach". Both are equally helpful! To donate materials, send an e-mail to Maria or Kara at heartpillowgothenburg@gmail.com to arrange a meeting. To give a monetary donation, pay into Plusgiro 50 55 17-3 (American Women's Club of Gothenburg) and put "Heart" in the message field.

6) Can I sponsor a pillow?
In some cases, people are interested in sponsoring one or more pillows for women who need them in the future. We wholeheartedly embrace this! The total cost (fabric and stuffing) of a pillow is around 35 Swedish crowns. The bulk of that is the cost of stuffing (a Polyester, Hypoallergenic stuffing that we buy at Panduro). Each pillow takes around 200 grams of stuffing. As far as fabric goes, we can get 2-3 pillows/meter of fabric. If you are interested in sponsoring a pillow, you can either donate the materials themselves or you are welcome to earmark your monetary donation "pillow sponsorship" and we will do all the shopping for you. We would also be happy to send a lovely card to let someone know that a donation has been made in their (or their loved one's) name.

Have a question we haven't answered? Don't be shy, drop us a line at: heartpillowgothenburg@gmail.com

2000+ pink shirts, 1 great cause

2010-08-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

This year, The Heart Pillow Project was on scene at Rosa Steget (right next to the Rosa Steget tents) as a way to reach out and introduce ourselves. Our goal was simple: meet woman, introduce the project, get people talking and get pillows out to women who need them. We went into the city armed with an artist easel, a poster and 150 flyers. And we handed out information and chatted. Simple. Straight forward. Just like the project.

Sometime around 4:30pm, three AWC/Heart Pillow chicks (Maria, Kara and Sandy) stood back and watched as a sea of pink shirts went by. It was, of course, the opening of Rosa Steget 2010, the annual walking event here in Göteborg. For just 350sek, a person could take part in a 7km walk around the heart of the city. Being American, our first instinct was to let out a WHOOP and a HOLLER to cheer the walkers on, but we stayed mute. The silence only lasted about 30 seconds though because before too long, the local Johanna group (support group for breast cancer) showed their support for the 2000+ people (mostly women) walking by. We just looked at each other and said, "Right then...WHOOOOOOOOOP!"

We were there 3 hours - until all the flyers were gone. It's the first time the project has done a public event like this and we couldn't have asked for a better experience!

Just Stuff It!

2010-07-22T12:53:00.001-07:00

What could be better than a group of gals getting together, laughing, chatting and just having girl time? A group of gals doing it with a mission!

The May General Meeting was all about The Heart Pillow Project!

In the week before the meeting, the Heart Pillow Committee had a very busy few days pre-measuring stuffing for pillows, cutting hearts and sewing cases. It all really paid off when it came time for the club to get to work. After dumping the cases and bags of stuffing on the table, the committee members all had a chance to step back and watch the frenzy of workers stuffing their hearts out.

In under an hour, all the pillow cases were stuffed. Just about an hour and a half after we started, the last pillow was closed.

Our last pillow stuffing, which included cutting and sewing, was also very productive. But this was the first time we have completed the job so quickly. The AWCG, it would seem, is finding our production groove. A great sign that we are ready to raise more awareness about the Heart Pillow Project of Gothenburg!

Of course, we couldn't end the evening without photographing some of the finished pillows and the ladies "behind" the evening.

The Project...

2010-04-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

THE HEART PILLOW PROJECT OF GOTHENBURG

The Heart Pillow Project was started in the US and brought to Denmark by Nancy, a nurse driven by the desire to help women recovering from Breast Surgery. It all started after she felt helpless while helping a friend during her recovery. Her story struck a cord and inspired us to start our own project. Her goal to make sure that every women who needs a pillow gets one became our goal. We are dedicated to giving a pillow, free of charge, to every breast surgery patient or patient's family who expresses the need for one! (The free of charge bit is why we rely so heavily on fabric, stuffing and other material donations!)

The soft cotton, heart shaped pillow is stuffed with hypoallergenic stuffing and designed to fit under the arm. The pillow helps ease surgical tension, shoulder tension, surgical swelling and pressure and helps cushion accidental bumps. Many women also find that it helps to hug it for chest support during a coughing fit.

So there it is...an intro to us and the project. This blog is dedicated to following the project's activities and progress.

FROM OUR HEARTS TO YOURS – WELCOME!