GEORGE NEWS - It's said the smallest act can bring the most joy, and it's never been truer than in this story, where women all over the world made it their mission to pay it forward, one teddy bear at a time.
The Facebook group Aussie Machine Embroidery Addicts (Amea) was started by the Australian Joy Davies after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She wanted to start a group for like-minded people who wanted to provide needy people with "hugs".
The idea of Carebears was born as she envisaged a group of people all over the world making items of a similar nature to hand out to others needing a hug.
This initiative offered Joy some distraction while going through chemo. The project took off, as there is pleasure not only in receiving something made with love, but also in making it. Since July 2016, 366 reporting members have made almost 28 000 Cancercare Carebears.
Closer to home, retired teacher and school principal René Sieberhagen reached out to Cancercare Outeniqua oncology wanting to make a difference in her own way in the life of those affected by cancer, showing her support and love to a close friend living with cancer.
Rene's unselfish offer resulted in 200 handmade Cancercare Carebears beidistributed to cancer patients and caregivers during Cancercare Outeniqua's 2018 survivor event, Creating Hope Leaving Footprints.
You can support this project by contributing material towards creating more bears.
Material can be delivered at Cancercare Outeniqua, who will make sure this is passed on to René, supporting her and the Carebear project to continue spreading hope, love and care.
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