Quilting for a Cause
Every NiftyFifty swap created more than quilts for participants — each one produced charity quilts benefiting Breast Cancer Awareness, donated or auctioned at hospitals and research centers across the country.
Quilting for a Cause
Each NiftyFifty swap created quilts benefiting Breast Cancer Awareness, donated or auctioned at hospitals nationwide. The quilts went to the Carol Baldwin Center in New York, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Washington, Mary Washington Hospital in Virginia, University Women's Health Center in Alabama, Moffitt Cancer Institute, and were designated for St. Jude's. The original NiftyFifty Breast Cancer Survivor and Memorial quilts traveled across the country, collecting signatures from survivors and family members. One of the charity quilts is kept in a temperature-controlled drawer at the University of Michigan to ensure its long-term preservation.
The photos to the right: Top photos are the Twenty Plenty International Breast Cancer Charity Quilts--Patti Myers, Pam Crosby, Teresa Drummond, Brenda Neily and Wendy Cooper.
Next row is the Nifty Fifty Quilters holding up the Nifty Fifty 1 Breast Cancer Charity Quilt after piecing it together at our NF 1 gathering.
Next photo is a professional photo of our quilt taken by Pearl Yee Wong for the Michigan State University's Quilt Museum..Quilt Index---https://quiltindex.org//view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-5908 and from the published Quilts and Health book.
Macdowell, M., Luz, C., Donaldson, B., Quilts and Health, Indiana University Press 2017, 209.
Last row--Our Nifty Fifty 1 Gathering after sewing together the NF 1 Breast Cancer Charity Quilt.
NF 1
Two breast cancer charity quilts which collected signatures of breast cancer survivors from across the country. Preserved in a vault at Michigan University
NF 5
Carol Baldwin Center, New York City
NF 7
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Washington State
NF 16 & 18
Mary Washington Hospital, Fredericksburg, Virginia
NF 20, 10, 13, 21
University Women's Health Center, Alabama
NF 23
Moffitt Cancer Institute and Research Facility
NF 28
Designated for St. Jude's
Brenda's Wish Quilt
In Memory of Brenda Neily — Our NiftyFifty 4, 6, and Twenty Plenty Plus Hostess. A breast cancer survivor from Massachusetts, Brenda traveled to Virginia to participate in the NiftyFifty Quilters' gathering and was so inspired she hosted three swaps herself. When her cancer returned, the community rallied around her and completed her swaps.
After her passing on April 14, 2000, Marjorie Young of New York completed Brenda’s final project. It became known as Brenda’s Wish Quilt. Brenda had carefully chosen an entire bolt of Hoffman designer print fabric with tones of deep plum, forest green, and soft creams. She then invited quilters from across the country to design a quilt block as a heartfelt thank-you to Teresa for her dedication in creating and nurturing the Nifty Fifty Swaps. Brenda mailed each quilter a fat quarter of that beautiful fabric, stitching their gratitude, care, and connection into every piece.
Sadly, Brenda did not live to see her wish fulfilled—to present the quilt to Teresa. But Marjorie carried out Brenda’s wish by following through. She collected all the quilt blocks from across the country and completed the finished quilt with compassion and determination, ensuring that Brenda’s vision would live on.
The day the box arrived at Teresa’s home was a complete surprise. She had no idea that, behind the scenes, this quilt had been created in her honor. As she opened it, emotion overwhelmed her. Tears filled her eyes as the quilt revealed itself—its rich plum, forest green, and cream fabrics glowing softly, each block a testament to kindness and connection. She had never been so deeply touched. Brenda’s Wish Quilt became more than a quilt—it became a lasting symbol of love, friendship, and the unbreakable bonds within the quilting community.
Block Contributors
Pam
Washington Monument
Nikki
Wisconsin Barn
Wendy
Liberty Bell
Marjorie Young
Arizona Cactus, Hawaiian Shirts, New York Skyline
Mary Pope
Vermont Mountain Peaks
Steph Winn
Nevada Card Trick
Brenda Neily
Massachusetts
Vikki Ritthaler
Wyoming
Carolyn Nash
North Dakota
Suzanne Pratt
Alabama
Mary Bell
Michigan
“”
—
“Not What I Expected”
by Maretta
After her 2002 uterine cancer diagnosis, Maretta found healing through quilting. When her husband Dave passed unexpectedly in September 2009, she experienced quilting paralysis — unable to create despite knowing quilting's healing power. Nearly a year later, a charity quilt commission became her creative catalyst, completed in under three weeks. 'Sometimes I hear his voice when I'm working, and that is so comforting.'
Dedicated to Madeline Douty — The Survivor page is dedicated to Madeline Douty, a six-year Breast Cancer survivor who showed great strength, courage and shared much joy, happiness and sunshine with her family throughout her illness.