14-Year-Old Lakefield Girl Has Made Over 2,500 Cuddle Blankets For People In Need Around World
/When she was only 9 years old, Faith Dickinson created Cuddles for Cancer, which makes signature fleece tie blankets for cancer patients going through treatments— hoping they provide some comfort, warmth and love.
Faith had the idea to make the blankets after she made one for her Aunt Lyndi in Alberta who had breast cancer, and now also makes them for soldiers and veterans to provide them comfort.
Over the past four and a half years, the 14-year-old Grade 9 student at TASSS in Peterborough has made over 2,500 Cuddle blankets for adults and children around the world.
Those blankets have been sent all across Canada, the United States, England, France, Australia, Africa, Germany, Poland, the Ukraine, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq and Brazil.
This year, her 4th Annual Kids at Christmas Campaign has started where you can sponsor a Child for $50 and they receive a Cuddle blanket. Faith asks families, schools, churches, businesses and other organizations to sponsor a child for $50.
This ensures that every child admitted to the PRHC (Peterborough Regional Health Centre) over Christmas receives a Cuddle blanket. The name of the sponsor is included on the letter that accompanies the Cuddle blanket. Blankets are delivered on December 23rd every year.
Faith delivering cuddle blanket to patient
Following the delivery at PRHC, Faith visits Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto each year and delivers Cuddle blankets to children on the Oncology Unit there. Last year, enough donations were raised to also donate Cuddle blankets to children on the Bone Marrow Unit at Sick Kids.
Since starting Cuddle for Cancer, Faith has emerged as a youth leader in Canada. She won the Me to We Youth in Action award in 2015 and more recently was chosen as one of 100 visionary leaders by a publication.
"Faith is a very compassionate soul," her mom Cassie tells PTBOCanada. "She's very thoughtful and empathetic to what others are going through. She very much wants to make a difference in the world and encourage other youth to get involved locally and globally."
Faith pictured with her proud parents Cassie & Mike
