8,000 Volunteers Knit Free Breast Prosthetics for Survivors

Barbara Demorest didn't cry when she was diagnosed with breast cancer or when she underwent a mastectomy. She cried when her doctor said she couldn't use a traditional prosthetic for weeks after surgery.

"I wanted to get back to work. I wanted to get back to life. I wanted to have a sense of normalcy," she told USA TODAY. Her doctor mentioned a lightweight, knitted alternative that some patients preferred over heavy, sweaty silicone prosthetics that cost hundreds of dollars.

A friend knitted her a pair and delivered them in a Victoria's Secret bag. When Demorest tried them on in a church bathroom, everything changed.

"It was soft. It was light. It was beautiful, and it was made by somebody who cared," she said. "I took my jacket off, and I re-engaged with life."

That moment in 2011 sparked Knitted Knockers, an organization that now connects nearly 8,000 volunteer makers across 50 states and 76 countries. They range from a nearly blind 90-year-old woman who knits by magnifying glass in her nursing home to groups of middle schoolers stuffing prosthetics between classes.

President Patti DeFreeuw says knitting and crocheting "isn't just a grandma's craft anymore." Young people are driving a resurgence, finding purpose in giving back through crafting.

Medical student Aditi Mohan discovered crochet during COVID and formed a makers group at her school. She now directs the organization's youth chapter in Augusta, Georgia, helping more young volunteers join the cause.

The organization recently exploded online when a nine-second Instagram reel got over 3 million views. "We are inundated with orders right now," DeFreeuw said, explaining that 99% of responses came from people who didn't know they existed.

The timing matters. About 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and rates among women under 50 have been rising by 1% annually over the past decade.

The Ripple Effect

People often ask Demorest why she doesn't just manufacture and sell the prosthetics. That completely misses the point, she says.

"Nobody's profiting from this. This is what I call a pure organization," Demorest explained. "The makers continue to make them out of the goodness of their heart because they know that it is transferring directly to the recipient."

Recipients can request a free pair through the website or pick them up at one of 2,500 partnering medical offices. Volunteers can download free patterns or donate money for shipping costs.

For Mohan, making knockers is teaching her about patient care before she even finishes medical school. "Through Knitted Knockers, I am also able to help them in their recovery by providing comfort, dignity and kindness," she shared.

And that 90-year-old volunteer in the nursing home sent an email that Demorest will never forget: "Being able to make these has given me a reason to live."