TWO Northside women are knitting their socks off to give free and comfortable breast prosthesis alternatives to Irish women who have received mastectomies.
Housewife Ann Cooke and special needs assistant Linda Burgess, from Donaghmede, grew inspiration from an American organisation called ‘Knitted Knockers’, on Facebook.
Following Burgess’ double mastectomy, the local women felt it was time to start an Irish branch.
A breast prosthesis is an artificial breast form that fits inside a bra cup to replace a natural breast.
It is most often used after surgery for breast cancer by means of a mastectomy or a wide local excision which may remove a lump and/or some surrounding tissue.
According to Cooke, it is often the case that a prosthesis is heavy, uncomfortable and irritating, and that the only other viable options are an expensive reconstruction surgery or a knitted alternative.
“We are affiliated with knittedknockers.org which is the American group that was first started by a lady named Barbara Demorest and there are now Knitted Knockers’ groups in many countries around the world,” she said.
“The main thing with our ones is that they are light, comfortable and free, because I know a regular prosthesis is quite expensive.”
Cooke is in charge of the knitting side of things and knits for roughly two hours a night.
She said a well-crafted woollen prosthesis takes over an hour to make, with one ball of wool being enough to make four each time.
The Irish version of Knitted Knockers spreads wide across the country today, where people can pick up their woolly prostheses in Dublin, Cork, Tipperary, Carlow, Kildare, Louth, Cavan and Roscommon.
Cooke meets up with fellow volunteers across the country in order to deliver and collect materials or finished products, while also meeting up with a group every month in Donaghmede Library to fill and pack the prostheses.
Cooke said the majority of people who learn about Knitted Knockers would find out via word of mouth because most wouldn’t be Facebook users.
She is hoping this article will expand her reach as Knitted Knockers Ireland has received great reach following articles in local Cork and Roscommon papers.
“I hope the same happens here in Dublin because there would be a lot of older women who may have been wearing the regular prosthesis for, let’s say, 10 years or so and absolutely hate them because they are so uncomfortable,” she added.
“Sometimes we would have people contacting us for their mother or aunt after seeing us on Facebook. We have no problem whatsoever with people just trying our prostheses on for size too.”
If you would like the Knitted Knockers breast prosthesis or would like to volunteer to knit or crochet, or even donate, contact Ann and Linda via email at knittedknockersireland@gmail.com or phone 087-1673220.
You can also message via Facebook at Knitted Knockers Ireland and check out news and blog posts related to the group.
REPORT: Brein McGinn