Join us as we support Breast Cancer Survivors with 100 bags a month in 2014

Join us as we support Breast Cancer Survivors with 100 bags a month in 2014

The October 2013 has been very busy here at Jessie’s Bags. We set a goal of producing 100 bags to donate to breast cancer survivors. We met our goal! We got donations and volunteers to help and we enjoyed it.

Now we want to continue with our efforts. Beginning in January 2014 we would like to produce and distribute 100 bags a month. This is a very ambitious Goal. To do this we are reaching out to suppliers and companies to support us. We will need more Volunteers and we will need some funding for postage. We are already working have bags ready. We have Two months to get everything organized, up and running. Right now we have a working budget of $0.00 so we are being very creative. For example I have a high bar type table, we are cutting the legs down to create a work table.  9 of us volunteers gathered around the pool table and worked on it Saturday evening.

Can your company help us? We like to use recycled supplies. Are there things you are getting rid of, trash that we can use as treasures to make this a success? If you have something you think we can use contact us about it we are open to suggestions.

Supplies needed:

Sewing Machines

Fabric

Scissors, pinking sheers

Belt webbing or old material belts, something to use for handles

Buttons, Zippers

Thank you for your support,

Jessie’s Bags     

      www.jessiesbags.com     jessiesbags@gmail.com       

Jessie's Bags got its start after the first breast cancer surgery 6 years ago. It was a way to keep busy and focus on something positive other than cancer. It is still a way for us to be positive in our own lives but also hopefully to share something positive with other survivors. sometimes the negative parts of cancer can  start to overwhelm you.( See the post  mammogram A Traumatic event) It can be emotionally exhausting....but we are not going to focus on that ...going to put together some fabric.....look at these beautiful fabrics ...earth tones...fall colors...bright colors.....spring ...colors...textures.......
Back to the business of making bags....

The Mammogram, a traumatic life event.

The Mammogram, a traumatic life event.

Once breast cancer has entered your life there is no such thing as a routine mammogram, for the survivor or the family members. This is the week the survivor has to a mammogram… and the daughter has to have a mammogram….stress filled traumatic event week…..

Even if it’s not you with the cancer your mammogram is now traumatic.(extremely distressing, frightening, having long term psychological effects)

Questions, questions, and more questions …does it run in the family? Do I have the gene?

You have to work up the nerve to have it done…and OK, I’m done … OK it’s over and I’m done I survived it was a pain but the good news is don’t have to do this again for 365 days……

Then you get the call we need more shots go for diagnostic mammogram….OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here it all comes again. Last year this time we learned about the cancer. This is what happened before moms mastectomy in January…. Look up breast cancer…got to do some research …if it’s spread thru the body. Is this why I have pain … got to see the report why do they want more shots? What did they see? OK you are mailing me a copy. I need to see it now, why do I need further test? What did they see?  Primary care doctor do you have the report? Not yet… Gyn Do you have the report? Not yet…. OK calling the place I had the test done can I have a copy of the report… Yes…….good finally I need to see in writing…why are they calling for more test? What did they see?

Got an appointment…. Stress for another day..

I need to see the report before I go in there need to know what they are looking for…

Got the report…something suspicious might be a nodule…appears to be benign….no evidence of malignant.. Need additional shots…

OK.. Now that I read the report I can breathe…..Benign …not a threat to life non-cancerous …not malignant not likely to spread to other body parts.

 Ok Here I am ….they took 3 more shots…..now I’m sitting with 10 other stress filled ladies in the same pink top…waiting….waiting…..waiting for them to read the films….it’s been over an hour it took 15 minutes for the shots…this is the hard part what will they say ….was it ok… still hanging out on this ledge….

YEA ITS OVER EVERYTHING WAS GOOD IT’S NOT A NODULE!!!!!!!  We will see you in a year!

We do not have to go thru this for another 365 days YEA!!!!!

Did I mention …I HATE MAMMOGRAMS.

Someone asked me what is my plan for Jessie's bags or Jesbags.


We enjoy making bags.
We enjoy working with our friends and volunteers to accomplish a goal.
We enjoy giving bags to survivors, and encouraging others.
We would like to make some money to help pay for our breast cancer surgery bills and support our selves. I would like to make a profit from the bags and pillows and throws we make but  we live simple lives we don't need a lot. We are not trying to get rich.


In  Aug we gave away 100 bags to a group of volunteers  approximate value   $3000.00
 
We sold a few bags in September  and made a few hundred dollars maybe $300.00.

 In October we gave away 100 bags ...if we charged $30.00 a bag for what we gave away $3000.00

If you had asked me to donate $6000.00 with in a few months of time I would never have thought it possible. But guess what we did it.

I guess we are rich because of the people who support us. Giving us Supplies, Time  & Energy.

I only hope to keep the momentum going in 2014.


I guess this is our mission statement.
I guess this is my business plan.

We want to send bags to a doctor who helps children who have Breast Cancer  this  doctor  is a survivor too.   Rebecca H Johnson MD @ Seattle Children s hospital.

I Hate to see any one affected by this disease but children ...our hearts go out to them ..hopefully the bags and note we send will make them smile.
This will be the 6th state we are sending bags to. .. look out world Jessie's Bags is thinking Big .....We are not just local anymore.

It would be nice to be global!
Have to do a lot more sewing and  raise a lot of postage money to do that LOL.

Going to need more volunteers!!!




 

We hope to keep you up to date on our tote bag projects with this blog.

 Most of the 100 bags we created in October 2013 have been delivered. We hand delivered the majority of the bags we drove to Lincoln University on Sat. to deliver 10.  I have a few to be mailed out as soon as I generate some postage money to mail them.

 During Nov and December we will put the finishing touches on a coupon for our next  project idea.  Starting January 2014 We will have a coupon (Because of H I P PA laws) for doctors offices to give to patients for them to contact us to get a bag. We still have fabric we can use to create the bags. The only down side  I foresee is the  postage. We want to do some fund raising to help cover this. If you want to help us fund raise or want to buy a bag or if you have any suggestions on fundraising drop us a line.

Volunteers are always welcome! 

take a look at some of the bags we are creating and giving to survivors.
www.jessiesbags.com


Contact us if you want to get involved..... we could use the help!

More Happiness in giving!

· · ·

This last month was very encouraging to us because we were not so focused on the problems and illness in our own lives we were thinking of others. We heard many stories of struggles with Breast Cancer old and young alike. Sometimes the sharing helps you see the blessings you do have. One of the blessings we see is the many friends who joined us to do this project. Some are old friends and some are new, but we all worked together to accomplish a goal. We created 100 Bags for October breast Cancer month.When friends get together you laugh have fun and enjoy one another. Sometimes we get so busy with everyday life and we forget to spend time with friends and family. Doing this project gave us time together and we accomplished so much. Join us in 2014 and experience more happiness in giving!