Hope, resilience, and celebration… These are just some of the feelings and emotions wrapped up in our cancer survivor quilt. “No two experiences are exactly alike when it comes to dealing with cancer,” said Winona Health Patient Care Navigator Sandy Gruszynski. “That’s why I think a quilt is a beautiful symbol to honor survivorship – no two quilt squares are the same either.” Winona Health provided blank quilt squares and invited all who choose to participate to create and send back their quilt square as a symbol of their experience through cancer. Once the quilt squares were completed and returned, they were assembled into a quilt by With These Hands, an ecumenical sewing group from Trempealeau United Methodist Church. “We are grateful for the beautiful work that the sewers put into this special quilt,” said Angie Johannes, director of Surgical and Specialty Care. “So much thought went into placing each piece and their work adds to the quilt’s uniqueness and further symbolizes each patient’s unique experience.” The quilt is displayed in the walkway between the hospital and clinic at Winona Health through June; National Cancer Survivor Month. “A cancer diagnosis is difficult in so many ways,” says Sandy. “We want our community members to know that if they or a loved one gets that news, we’re here to help them through it.” At Winona Health, we know in our hearts that the best possible care happens as it always has – when we are there for each other in the moments that matter.
Angie johannes, director of surgical and specialty care; sue hammond, and leeann saylor, with the ecumenical sewing group with these hands; and sandy gruszynski, patient care navigator.
