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Children's Quilt Presented to Emerson Hospital Naka Infusion Center

Melissa Fournier, director of the Randall Library in Stow, invited Maynard author Jenifer Gershman to read Where Did Mommy’s Superpowers Go? at a children’s program in March because of the sensitive and easily understandable manner in which the book explains serious illness to children.

 

Looking for an activity through which to continue the lesson in a positive, life-affirming manner, Fournier partnered with renowned quilt maker Rosemary Bawn, a Stow resident who has worked at the library for 17 years. Together, they worked with nearly two dozen children at the library to create a quilt, which the pair donated on July 17 to hang in the Emerson Hospital Naka Infusion Center which administers IV medications for patients with cancer, blood disorders, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s colitis and other conditions.

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In addition, Gershman donated three copies of her book and dozens of bookmarks for patient use. In the story, a mother explains in simple but upbeat language to her little boy that she needs medicine to rid her body of “bad guy’’ cells, but the medicine is so powerful that it will take away some of her good cells, too. The mother, who does not cite a specific disease, says she won’t feel well and may even look different for a time, but assures her son that her “superpowers’’ will return.

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Fournier praised the book for making disease less frightening to children, and said she hopes the quilt will bring similar comfort to cancer patients who receive IV tests and therapy at Emerson. Titled “Peace in My Garden,” the 58” x 36” quilt features 20 colorful panels related to themes of growth and rebirth, including flowers, a butterfly, humming bird, dragonfly, a brightly smiling sun and a cat sitting happily in a tree.

 

“Unfortunately, everyone – even children – knows someone who has gone through cancer,” said Fournier, whose own father battled the disease. “We wanted to send the message that yes, bad things happen, but you can turn sad feelings into something positive. And the kids were so excited to do something to help.”

 

Her daughter, 11-year-old Anastasia Fournier-Wassink, contributed a square with some of her favorite animals: a cat, penguin and turtle. Remembering her own hospitalization at Emerson with pneumonia a year and a half ago, Anastasia said, “It can be tough when you’re in the hospital and not quite sure what’s going to happen. I liked seeing the paintings of birds on the walls, so I thought it would be nice for other people to have something pretty to look at, too.”

 

Bawn, who ironed over the children’s colored drawings in order to melt the crayon onto individual pieces of quilt, then spent 50 to 60 hours hand-quilting after stitching the panels together. While she usually makes quilts memorializing events within her family, Bawn has received widespread recognition for her quilts depicting the Red Sox, Apollo 11 moon landing, 9/11 and the Boston Marathon. In fact, her Fenway Park centennial quilt has been displayed at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell and is featured in the July/August 2013 issue of Yankee magazine.

 

“It was fun to see the kids’ imaginations come out,” Bawn said.

 

Karen Viscariello, nurse manager at the Naka Infusion Center, said she is thrilled with the donation to the spacious area, in which treatments can last for several hours. “This lovely quilt creates positive energy in a place where we don’t always have that. It really brightens up the space and provides a sense of peace,” said Viscariello, noting that Emerson has long included Gershman’s book on its list of resources for cancer patients and their families. “Everyone did a great job, and we’re very grateful.”

 

Gershman, who is in remission from amyloidosis – a rare blood-protein disorder that can be fatal if left untreated – had a number of lengthy IV tests performed at the Naka Infusion Center in 2007 and 2008. She said she knows first-hand that when you feel better, you heal better. She believes the children’s kindness reflected in the quilt will go a long way to doing just that in others.

 

“This is the kids’ way of taking care of them,” she said, “and it’s just beautiful.”

 

 

Emerson Hospital is a multi-site health system headquartered in Concord, Mass., with additional facilities in Sudbury, Groton and Westford. The 179-bed hospital provides advanced medical services to more than 300,000 individuals in 25 towns. To learn more, visit www.emersonhospital.org.
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