Rachael Bush is helping restore the self-esteem and dignity of breast cancer survivors who have had a masectomy by knitting them a new set of knockers.
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Ms Bush wants other keen knitters to form an Eden chapter of Knitted Knockers Australia, a group that has changed the lives of women in this country and also overseas - one stitch at a time.
The prostheses are made with love by groups and individual knitters from cities to the smallest country towns across Australia and are given to women free of charge.
They are made of 100 per cent cotton, are light and washable, come in either bright or pastel colours, and are available in cup sizes ranging from A to F.
Women came forward asking 'could I have a prosthesis, I am using socks, tissues, nothing'
- Rachael Bush
Knitted Knockers Australia began in 2013 in Victoria; the tragic reality was that someone always knew someone who was battling breast cancer and so the movement grew like a country wildfire.
From CWA halls in small country towns and Biggest Morning Tea gatherings, word soon got out and before long the founders were making national media appearances.
Orders flooded in.
The women's stories were remarkably similar in they wanted a soft natural alternative to hard plastic prostheses.
They shared their experiences as they requested one, or two, knitted knockers for themselves, revealing that it some cases they had resorted to using socks or tissues; others used nothing at all.
It is estimated that 1700 knitters and groups are making the protheses, and 750 prostheses have been given to women who have undergone masectomies.
Cash donations go towards buying cotton for the knitters.
An Australian knockers' pattern has been copyrighted.
Aussie-knitted prostheses are also sent to women overseas, including in India and Vietnam.
Ms Bush has completed dozens of knitted knockers which are packed and ready to be posted to organisers for distribution to breast cancer survivers, and has now set about recruiting other Eden women to join her with the project.
If you would like to become involved in the Knitted Knockers project, please phone Ms Bush on 0450 483 610.
A meeting will be held at 11am on Monday, September 21, at the Eden RSL Hall, on the corner of Bass and Calle Calle streets.
Ms Bush thanked the Eden Lionesses for paying for the hall hire and providing the morning tea.
