The Johns Hopkins Breast Center was proud to be a part of Avon's 2 Day Walk in Washington, DC on April 26 and 27, 2003. The 27 mile walk was a huge success. Along the entire route at every cheering station were Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Survivor Volunteers in pink OR scrubs shaking pink pompoms rooting our team and all participants along the way! The cheering squad is known as "Lillie's Pink Ladies" and this is their second year to participate. Dr. Nagi Khouri, director of Breast Imaging at Johns Hopkins, participated as a walker this year! Johns Hopkins also had a booth in the Wellness Village and answered questions on breast health and breast cancer. Dr. Nancy Davidson, chair of breast cancer research at Hopkins and a medical oncologist here, was on hand as well at our booth! See photos from this event below! The monies raised which was more than 1 million dollars goes to support breast cancer education and research here at Hopkins and elsewhere in the country. Thanks Avon! Made by the Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Survivor Volunteers and Breast Center Volunteers in Baltimore, Maryland.

Blocks made with love - hearts working together - crosses to sustain and ribbons for the ongoing battle. In the words of Lillie Shockney, R.N.,MAS, Director of Education and Outreach: “Each stitch can represent a woman diagnosed with breast cancer; Each corner of the blocks represent someone who has even lost their battle in the last year; The knots represent those in treatment today we are helping to support here.”

A quilt is a document of history. Quilts often serve to demonstrate the feelings, historical events, and lifestyles of a period in time. Provenance panels, if one is fortunate to have one on a quilt, speak of when, where, and by whom. This quilt - the Hopkins Quilt of Encouragement - is of a time when breast cancer is raging and a cure imminently on the horizon. The provenance panel on the lower back right documents a time in history when women united to encourage other women and families with them waiting in the Johns Hopkins Breast Center, for either appointments or follow-up treatments of one kind or another. Regardless, waiting is often difficult and having material evidence of the caring of others who have waited where they are seated may lessen the burden of the moment for them. A talented quilter of national and international reputation, Mimi Dietrich of Catonsville, MD, wrote a book: Pink Ribbon Quilts: A Book Because of Breast Cancer, in 1999. Another quilter, Marie Johnson, of Reston, VA, had met Mimi in the past, attended several workshops, and had Mimi’s book on her shelf. Providentially, the book was there when Marie, a survivor herself, who had breast cancer surgery that same year at Johns Hopkins, needed inspiration for a quilt for the Breast Center. Mimi was contacted and offered to do a series of workshops to facilitate the quilt’s development. Her designs are those used in this quilt. Marie did the machine and hand quilting, binding, and provenance panel on the back.

It’s important to keep in mind that though Mimi and Marie are seasoned quilters, the rest of the group who worked on this project were mostly new to applique and quilting, some never having sewn, and who desired to contribute their time on this targeted project. Carolyn Dailey, who lost her mother to this disease, coordinated this group of women who are breast cancer survivors as well as others who are volunteers who have lost friends and family to this disease. And Carolyn’s exuberance facilitated the quilt’s construction. Support and inspiration from wonderful nurses and warriors in the fight, such as Lillie Shockney, Kyle Terrell, Connie Ziegfeld, to name a few, only make this quilt even more meaningful. All involved want to convey their heart-felt empathy for those women who are yet to be diagnosed or for whom a diagnosis is a frightening intrusion in their lives. This quilt captures the spirit of the Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Survivor Volunteer team at its best-- here to meet the needs of patients who will be diagnosed in the future...

(some images are large and may take some time to view)

 Quilt Photo 1 - A quilting bee held at Johns Hopkins. Mimi Dietrich is seated to the far right.
 Quilt Photo 2 - Lots of helpers and lots of love went into the creation of this gift for the Johns Hopkins Breast Center. From left to right: Marie Johnson, Barbara Abdullah, Patsy Sisk, Mimi Dietrich, and Carolyn Dailey.
 Quilt Photo 3 - A close up of the quilt showing each square.
 Quilt Photo 4 - Patsy Sisk helping with some tying and stitching. (There were more than 15 survivor volunteers involved with the creation of this work of art)
 Quilt Photo 5 - Marie Johnson takes a photo after completing the binding and final stitching of the quilt.