Meet Barbara Demorest of Bellingham Based Non-Profit, Knitted Knockers.
Keeley Richardson
Founder and Chief Fiber Officer
October is breast cancer awareness month and sadly this disease has touched many of us, whether personally or one of our loved ones. Barbara Demorest, a local fiber hero from Bellingham, decided to take a difficult personal situation, and turn it into something positive to help thousands of other breast cancer survivors across the globe. It was an honor to talk to Barbara and learn about her inspiring charity, Knitted Knockers, based here in the Puget Sound region.
First, a couple of facts; one in eight women will experience breast cancer at some point in their lives and over fifty thousand mastectomies are performed in the US each year. Ninety per cent result in the wearing of prosthetic breasts and this is where knittedknockers.org steps in.
The Bellingham based non-profit began back in 2011, when inspirational founder Barbara Demorest was diagnosed with breast cancer. Whilst awaiting reconstructive surgery, her doctor showed her a picture of a knitted prosthetic breast and pointed her in the direction of an online pattern. This is where her passion for bringing comfort and confidence to breast cancer survivors began.
“I thought, what if my doctor had real knitted knockers to give to women rather than only having a photocopied picture on a sheet of paper to show them? I asked my breast cancer doctor and plastic surgeon if they would hand them out if I could provide them with a regular stock of these Knitted Knockers. They said they absolutely would.”
Initially, it was Barbara’s plan to provide knockers for women in her county, but once she realized that there was so much demand across the country, she found she was unable to say no to any request.
Knitted Knockers continues to go from strength to strength, and today there are over 3,500 individuals and groups registered in 50 states and 30 countries. The organization’s reach has also spread across the globe to Africa – 100 knitted knockers have been donated to women in Rwanda where reconstructive surgery is not an option. Thirty Rwandan women have also been trained on how to knit them, and they have passed on their knowledge to women in Kenya.
On a practical level, Knitted Knockers provides hand knitted/crocheted prosthetics to women who have undergone mastectomy. However, the donation of these simple “knockers”, also provides so much more emotional support to women during this vulnerable chapter in their lives. Traditional prosthetics made from silicone, can be heavy, uncomfortable and can’t be worn until six weeks after surgery. Knitted Knockers are light, soft and made with natural fibers. They can be worn inside a bra straight after surgery, providing the perfect solution for women during this overwhelming time in their lives.
As a non-profit, 100% volunteer run organization, Barbara and her team are always looking for more wonderful helpers to make knockers and spread the word. There are three ways you can get involved:
- If you can knit or crochet, make knockers! Over 8,000 are sent out each month worldwide, but there is always demand for more. knittedknockers.org has all the information you need to get going, including free patterns, a list of recommended yarns, and information on drop off points.
- Follow and share Knitted Knockers posts on social media to raise awareness of all that they do. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
- Consider donating. As a 100% non profit, Barbara and her volunteers rely heavily on the generosity of supporters.
Barbara and her amazing team continue to equip and inspire volunteers, and a visit to the knittedknockers.org website is a must. There you will find everything you need to begin your volunteer journey. Check out the directory page for information on local groups looking for volunteers, or register to begin your own. There is also information on medical practices looking for volunteers to “adopt” them as a donation point.
“One of my greatest joys is getting a call from a doctor on my cell phone requesting some more knockers. One of the nurse’s said to me, “I sure wish you could be there when we have a woman who is dejected, wondering what they are going to do and we bring out the bag of knockers. They always bring a smile to their face at a difficult time, and sometimes tears.” I don’t need to be there to see it. I know, because I was one of them.” Barbara Morest.
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