How It Began

The need for a blanket was recognized in a simple way by Sandy Berg-Whiley who had been receiving infusion treatments every 21 days at Hoag Hospital. She was cold and uncomfortable from the medications she was receiving, as well as the cold temperature of the hospital room. Her mother made her a cheerful ducky fleece blanket to raise her spirits and keep her warm. Sandy looked around the treatment room and saw that others might also benefit from a blanket to provide a gift of love and warmth. Sandy started with personally sewing a few blankets each month to take to the various center. A nurse observed the impact that the blankets were making on the patients and contacted the Register newspaper to interview Sandy. It snowballed from there with additional hospitals and infusion centers requesting blankets for their patients.

Since the article appeared, people have contacted Sandy, offering to help cut and sew, and donating money. In the month after the article was published, she received over 300 emails. Friends and new volunteers heard about the project and offered their time to cut, sew, and make these blankets for others. Trips to the LA Garment District have been made to purchase fleece at cheaper costs. The blankets all show that someone cared enough to hand cut, sew, launder, and tie them up in a ribbon. This has resulted in a community project of love. It is not only the chemicals dripping in veins that cure people;

it is the personal, human touch. Sandy has received many letters of appreciation from the recipients of the blankets. Now when Sandy walks in to receive her treatments she notices splashes of cheerful colored blankets of ducks, frogs, Hawaiian flowers, and other designs covering many of the patients. It brings her joy to know she is helping the individual, one by one.