December 20, 2002

Handmade hats were hung on the holiday tree with care

The annual hat tree for cancer patients, a holiday tradition at the MGH Cancer Center, was decorated this year in memory of Janet Connolly O'Neill, co-founder of Friends Fighting Breast Cancer. More than 600 hats, turbans and scarves, handmade by local community members throughout New England, adorned a 7-foot tree in the lobby of the Cancer Center. Women experiencing hair loss as a result of chemotherapy or radiation treatment are encouraged to visit the tree and select a hat of their choice.

Friends Fighting Breast Cancer and Fabric Place stores collaborate every year to distribute free hat patterns at the five Fabric Place locations in New England, encouraging the community to return with a hand-made hat on Hat and Turban Day. Fabric Place also contributes $5 for every hat collected for the Friends Fighting Breast Cancer's annual fundraising goal for breast cancer research. Since 1995, Friends Fighting Breast Cancer has donated more than $300,000 to breast cancer research at the Center for Cancer Risk Analysis at the MGH.

Friends Fighting Breast Cancer will hold its annual gala March 15, 2003 at the Copley Marriott Hotel in memory of Connolly O'Neill, who recently died of breast cancer. For tickets, contact co-chair Fran Gilardi at (978) 664-2892 or send e-mail to Frang2001@attbi.com.