editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
October 2016 Knitted Knockers
Serving Alamo and Diablo
By Fran Miller
It was Barbara Demorest’s physician who directed her to a non-invasive aesthetic solution following her double mastectomy in 2011. He asked Demorest, a Washington state resident, if she was a knitter and showed her a photo of a “knitted knocker” with an online link to the pattern. Too frail to undertake the knitting project herself, she asked a dear friend to make a pair for her. The handmade knockers did the job, and were light and comfortable. It was after her first “wearing” that Demorest resolved to make the item readily available to local mastectomy patients, and thus, KnittedKnockers.org was born.
Celebrating the completion of Laura's Ride l to r: Sarah Rubin, Nick Bloisa, Rick Perez, Sandi Eng, Alejandra Garcia Aragon. Ladies on the ends shared driving the support car. Sandi suggested honoring Laura's battle against breast cancer. (photo courtesy of Rick Perez)
Lazarex Cancer Foundation: Giving Life a Chance By Jody Morgan Demorest’s initial goal was to provide free and accessible knitted knockers to anyone who needed them in her county. Over the past five years, her efforts have expanded worldwide to include a network of volunteer knitters and crocheters – such as East Bay resident Kara Riley-Paull – who make and supply their handiwork for free. Riley-Paull started volunteering after seeing a KnittedKnocker.org advertisement in an online knitting magazine. “I thought, WOW, this would be the perfect group for me because I work extensively with breast cancer patients, AND I knit and crochet,” says Riley-Paull. “The idea of a soft washable prosthesis made complete sense to me. I immediately began making the knockers myself and started giving them to the patients who wanted them.” Soon she was organizing knitted knocker efforts throughout Northern California, and now the organization has several sub-groups throughout the Bay Area. A Sacramento branch is also now forming. “All the branches work together to help each other,” says Riley-Paull. “While we are not a formal group, we are definitely a community. Volunteers may make the knockers on their own time and some volunteers make several knockers and send them in all at once. Some prefer to make them to order as the requests come in. There is no minimum number or upper limit to how many can be made, and there is no obligatory time commitment.” Due to swelling and tenderness, most mastectomy patients have to wait at least six weeks after surgery for a permanent, custom-made prostheses. The knitted (or crocheted) knockers are soft enough and comfortable enough to be worn right away after surgery, and some women even prefer to use them long term. Knitted Knockers are made of non-wool, machine washable and dryable yarn, and are filled with
See Knockers continued on page 29
Local Postal Customer
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 263 Alamo CA
ECRWSS
A lifeline for individuals who have lost all other hope for survival, Lazarex Cancer Foundation has helped more than 1,650 patients with 147 different types of cancer participate in 900 FDA approved clinical trials. Patients range in age from 4 to 86. They come from 49 states and 14 countries. By identifying appropriate trials and paying otherwise unaffordable travel expenses to and from trial sites across the US, Lazarex has added 280,035 days to the lives of those they have served. The value to future cancer patients of life-saving drugs approved because of their participation is incalculable. “We can’t get tired,” Lazarex Founder Dana Dornsife explains. “We have 400 patients on our active roster counting on us every day.” Dornsife had
See Lazarex continued on page 17
Alamo Votes on Measure Y, Spending Limit for Parks By Sharon Burke
There’s an almost overwhelming ballot for Contra Costa voters to consider at the November 8th election. Not only will voters decide on the US Presidential election, but they will also vote on US Senator, Congress, State Senate, and Assembly races. Seventeen California ballot propositions are on the ballot. Seventeen! Far down the ballot, Alamo voters will be voting on Measure Y, a “Gann limit override.” Measure Y asks the Alamo community to approve a spending limit for the Alamo Parks and Recreation District, County Service Area R-7, of $1,650,000. This is the exact same limit as Alamo voters approved in June, 2011, by a margin of 81% yes Volume XVI - Number 10 to 19% no, the last Gann limit elec3000F Danville Blvd. #117, tion held for R-7. Without a Yes vote, Alamo, CA 94507 Alamo Parks (overseen by the Alamo Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 Municipal Advisory Council or Alamo Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher MAC) will not be able to spend all of Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com its collected revenue in Alamo on parks Sharon Burke ~ Writer and recreation. It’s important to note that The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do Measure Y does not raise taxes, only not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today
See Vote continued on page 26
is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.