Quilt for the Cure honors Penn Highlands Mon Valley

Quilt for the Cure is supported by Neighborhood Ford Store and is a volunteer organization.

For the MVI

For its outstanding services to breast-cancer patients, both the nurse navigators and radiation departments at Penn Highlands Mon Valley were honored by Quilt for the Cure Supported by Neighborhood Ford Store.

Shown, from left, is Deborah L. Burkhardt R.T. (R)(T)(CT)(ARRT), director of radiation oncology, Penn Highlands Mon Valley; and Nicole Chiplaskey, RN, clinical coordinator for medical oncology/hematology at Penn Highlands Mon Valley. Submitted

The hospital was selected for a pilot project in which patients in treatment can sign a quilt made by the Martha Washington Quilters Guild of Washington County.

“Usually our quilts are made from squares decorated by the public in support, comfort and remembrance of breast-cancer patients, but we saw the need for the patients to express themselves as part of our Quilt for the Cure outreach. If this pilot project is helpful to patients, our volunteers will incorporate it into the program,” said Dan Wind, a member of Neighborhood Ford Store’s board of directors — Washington Ford and Woltz & Wind Ford.

A second, traditional Quilt for the Cure quilt also was presented to the hospital. It was made from squares decorated by the public by the Fort Henry Piecemakers Quilting Guild of Wheeling, W.Va.

In addition, smaller “micro quilts” were donated for compact treatment spaces.

Quilt for the Cure Supported by Neighborhood Ford Store is a volunteer organization entirely financially supported by the region’s 76 Ford Dealers in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virgina.

Quilt for the Cure only seeks public participation in the decorating of its squares to make its quilts — which is free to all.

The project never seeks nor accepts financial contributions for its breast-cancer awareness outreach as it is fully financially supported by the area’s Ford dealers.

Although October is breast-cancer awareness month, Quilt for the Cure’s outreach operates throughout the year.