Making Recovery A Little Bit Softer

Making Recovery A Little Bit Softer High School Student Creates Pillow For Breast Cancer Patients

By Megan MonteMarano

When a loved one experiences difficulty or pain, it’s not uncommon to feel helpless — you want to do something to lessen the burden, but often don’t know how. After witnessing the discomfort of someone close to her who was diagnosed with micro-invasive lobular breast cancer, however, Upper Saddle River resident Charlotte Abrams knew exactly what she had to do. for art was furthered by her exposure to handwork classes, through which she learned how to sew, knit, crochet and embroider.

“I continued to use these skills outside of the classroom to make homemade gifts, and, eventually, the POSH Pillow,” she explains.

Charlotte took matters into her own hands when she noticed the discomfort caused by traveling in the car post-surgery. With some fabric, a sewing needle and a whole lot of handwork, she designed a special pillow to protect the surgical site from the pressure of the seat belt. After seeing the incredible benefits of this simple idea, she was soon inspired to make the pillows available to everyone who needs them. And so, the POSH Pillow Project was born.

“POSH” is an acronym for Post-Op Supportive Hug. Charlotte’s goal is to help people recovering from breast surgery feel more comfortable and supported by making the healing process just a little bit softer. “I have always enjoyed creating artwork, especially drawings,” comments Charlotte. “Art serves as an outlet for me. I view my work as an extension of myself.” Growing up as a student at the Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge, N.Y., Charlotte’s love This one-of-a-kind creation incorporates armholes in the design, allowing it to rest securely without shifting. It lies against the person’s chest and is held in place by the tension of the seatbelt. The pillow cushioning then disburses the pressure from the seatbelt, providing protection to the surgical site and great ease to the patient.

“The POSH Pillow made all the difference in my life,” says one thankful recipient. “It enabled me to travel to and from doctors’ visits without fear of, or pain from, the seatbelt putting pressure on the surgical site. It also gave me the freedom to visit friends and family with comfort and ease. And, most of all, it was made with love, so I always felt the warmth and support in its ‘hug.’”

Charlotte recently led a class at the Old Forge Library in upstate New York, where she spends summers with her family. She taught local residents how

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The participants sewed the pillows, filled them with stuffing and then stitched them closed. The event was such a success, that several people even took home patterns to complete additional pillows for donation.

Another pillow making class took place recently at the Englewood Public Library. In person 40 people were making pillows while another 11 joined along via Zoom. Girl Scouts from a Teaneck troop and from an Englewood troop stuffed and sewed these pillows to give to the community.

In order to make classes like this available to everyone, Charlotte created a GoFundMe campaign to purchase all necessary materials. To date, more than $2,000 has been raised, which provides the funding to make these pillows available at no cost. All additional proceeds are then donated to breast cancer support-based organizations. Through her events, Charlotte is determined to create as many POSH Pillows as possible. She has reached out to multiple libraries and organizations throughout Bergen County to offer this unique pillow-making class. Charlotte plans to also contact local fabric stores to ask permission to leave donation bins where customers can contribute materials for the cause. She ultimately hopes to connect with local hospitals, including, but not limited to, Englewood Hospital, Holy Name Hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center and Valley Hospital to continue this initiative.

“Cancer knows no boundaries, and comfort should be available to everyone,” she says. “My goal is to continue increasing awareness and help make people’s recoveries a little softer.”

Staying true to her word, Charlotte intends to use her upcoming senior project as a way to further share the POSH Pillow Project with her peers and extend it to other Waldorf schools.

“I am grateful for everyone who has supported this endeavor, whether by providing the space for events, giving advice, joining events, sharing my social media posts, or donating to the GoFundMe campaign that I created,” comments Charlotte. “I am especially appreciative of my family members and their constant support.”

Always looking for ways to help people and create positive change, Charlotte is also planning a trip to Argentina this upcoming spring. While there, she hopes to build upon the Waldorf school’s network and share the POSH Pillow Project with other students to not only serve this community, but others abroad.

While POSH Pillows are predominately donated to various organizations, Charlotte also takes requests.

“Actions from the heart always bring people together,” adds Charlotte. “Through this collaboration, a tremendous impact can be made — anything is POSHible.” For more information and updates, please visit the POSH Pillow website at www. poshpillowproject.com or follow the POSH Pillow Instagram at @posh_pillow_project and Facebook at @POSHPillowProject.