KNITTED KNOCKERS SUPPORT FOUNDATION

aka KnittedKnockers.org r1-4-21

We love to present the story of knitted knockers at every opportunity to help spread the word about the gift of knitted knockers to women who have had a mastectomy made by caring volunteers. Some of the points we like to include in interviews are:

• Our mission is connecting volunteer knitters (and crocheters) with breast cancer survivors to provide free knitted knockers.
• We do this by inspiring and equipping volunteers to make them. Knittedknockers.org has free patterns and videos on how to make great knitted knockers. The patterns have been downloaded over 1 million times.
• We did not invent knitted knockers but rather approached the young woman in Maine who had named them after making some for herself to see if I could use the name and share them freely with others. She was thrilled as she was no longer able to.
• We have over 4,000 individuals and groups registered with us in 50 states and 33 countries.
• We provided 100 knitted knockers to the women of Rwanda where reconstruction is not an option for most women. We also trained 30 Rwandan women to make them for their hospitals. A team from Kenya learned from the Rwandan women and are now providing for the women of Kenya.

There are 3 ways that people can help:

1. If you can knit or crochet, make knitted knockers. We are sending out over 8,000 a month free to women all over the world and can only do it because of the wonderful volunteers willing to make them.
2. Share with your friends on social media. Like and share us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (@knitted_knocker), etc. This helps us to reach out to the hundreds of thousands of women living in the US right now that have not been reconstructed after mastectomy.
3. Donate. We are 100% volunteer run and survive by donations. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Donations can be mailed to Knitted Knockers Support Foundation, 1780 Iowa St., Bellingham, WA 98229 or made via PayPal on our website at knittedknockers.org.

We always make a point of emphasizing that we are knittedknockers.ORG out of Washington state as it can be confusing with so many groups using the name. Another great group is knittedknockersusa.com out of Arizona but we are knittedknockers.org.

We usually share some comments that have come in from grateful recipients but also share how we benefit by making them and knowing we are making a difference in women’s lives. We can give you some cool comments if you like. Or you can read some unsolicited testimonies at knittedknockers.org.

Some quick facts:

• 1 out of 8 women will experience breast cancer sometime in their lifetime
• There are 50,000 mastectomies done a year in the US alone and 90% will wear a breast prosthesis at least for awhile
• Knittedknockers.org provides free patterns, downloaded over 1,200,000 times
• Our videos have been viewed over 635,000 times
• Postage alone is over $4,000 per month
• We are providing 8 to 10,000 free knockers per month. We can only do that because of those amazing volunteers!
• We love it when an individual or group making knockers registers with us on our provider directory so others can find them to help out. We have over 3,900 registered individual and groups making knockers with over 770 groups listed on the directory.
• Many women find the traditional breast prosthesis hot, heavy, and expensive
• We work with many medical centers across the country to provide knitted knockers directly to their patients. We have over 1,500 medical clinics registered with us.

People can get more information on how to help by going to www.knittedknockers.org and filling out the contact form. We will send them more information on ways they can help.

www.knittedknockers.org ● contact@knittedknockers.org

• Knitted Knockers Support Foundation • 1780 Iowa Street • Bellingham, WA 98229 • Cell: 360-595-3278