The fabric satchels are specially designed to carry a blood drain, which is a bag to collect fluids that is usually fitted for around two weeks after surgery. Although they are a necessity following a mastectomy, and essential for recovery, the drain bags can be unsightly and often cause patients to feel self-conscious.
April Jeffery, who works at the BT call centre in Doncaster, saw the dignity bags being used in Rotherham and wanted to make some for Doncaster patients. With the support of her colleagues at work, April was able to donate 213 dignity bags to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
April said: “I saw the dignity bag pattern online and it really struck a chord with me. A few years ago I had an ileostomy bag and I hated the thought that there were patients who had undergone mastectomy surgery and might already be feeling low, that felt self-conscious on top of that. I’m really grateful for the support that this project received at BT. If I had been making the bags on my own I would never have been able to make this many.”
The material used to make the bags was donated by Sew Cutes, a fabric shop in Edlington. Owner Tracy heard about April’s sewing challenge and offered her 20 meters of fabric in different prints, free of charge.
BT also managed to raise over £250 for the Jasmine Centre at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, which cares for patients with breast cancer. The money was raised at a raffle to which local and online businesses donated prizes, including a £50 Popsy Clothing voucher and six weeks free Busy Ladies Boot Camp.
Additional funds were raised at a health and wellbeing day at BT, where staff were able to pay £1 to use the sewing machine to create a bag. Scott Johnson, Senior Call Centre Manager at BT, said: “Our staff are always forthcoming and enthusiastic about getting involved in helping local charities and this was no exception, the response April had to the dignity bag project was immense. It gave us the chance to give something back to our community and we learnt a new skill in the process!
“I’d like to say a special thank you to April, Suzanne Webster and Beth Hulme, who gave a lot of their free time to make the majority of the bags.”
The company plan on holding an annual sewing drive every July to make more dignity bags for breast patients in Doncaster and have shared the pattern with other BT branches to introduce them across the country.