Therapy, when balls of yarn and crochet hooks help tackle cancer and ease anxiety

At the UOC of Medical Oncology dell’Papardo Hospital of Messina the project of wool therapy: the non-profit organization Gomitolorosa, which promotes knitting in hospitals as a tool to reduce anxiety in especially cancer patients, donated to the ward headed by the Professor Vincenzo Adamo 1000 kits containing a ball of yarn and a crochet, with which cancer patients can knit, distracting their mind during chemotherapy and in the waiting rooms.

The project, which was born inside the Papardo hospital in January 2020, thanks to the support of the doctors and volunteers of A.S.S.O. (Sicilian Oncological Support Association), of which Professor Adamo is the president, had been interrupted throughout Italy due to Covid. “At last this new important initiative for our patients has been resumed – comments Professor Adamo – This new opportunity, which is finding a lot of satisfaction, is part of the support and support activities that ASSO has been carrying out for over 12 years”.

“Since 2012, Gomitolorosa volunteers, and medical supporters and friends, have been promoting, supporting and recommending lanatherapy in ten Italian hospitals, from Messina to Milan, because strongly believe that knitting or crochet represents an activity from which to derive great benefits for physical and mental health and constitutes an integrative tool of the care path», Comments the doctor Alberto Costa, president of the non-profit organization Gomitolorosa and internationally recognized breast oncologist for his contribution to the advancement of breast cancer treatment.

Let knitting be effective antidote allo stress, Dr. Costa had already sensed this in the forty years alongside Umberto Veronesi, observing in hospital wards the patients who worked with crochet to pass the time waiting to undergo treatment or exams. “Knitting distracts from worries, helps to perceive pain less, facilitates socialization processes and improves self-esteem because it implies a goal and its achievement », he adds.

Benefits also recognized daily by Professor Adamo: «Patients – I use the feminine because they are the majority, but even some men knit in the ward – they are certainly more carefree while waiting, they keep the mind busy and this eases the tension. In addition, knitting to create wool blankets for the whole department helps to feel useful and to create a sense of community, not to feel alone.

In addition to this lanatherapy activity, in day hospital we also offer a service of make up custom and of music therapy: after the make-up session with the beauty consultants, our patients are reborn, flourish again. Patients also heal themselves with happy moments, not just chemotherapy. In this regard, I would like to thank Francesca Cacciola, coordinator of all these projects ».

In addition to the good you can do for yourself by knitting, Gomitolorosa has also launched the campaign #unkitpersonalesospeso, to benefit others as well: by donating 8 euros on the site https://www.gomitolorosa.org/prodotto/kit-lanaterapia-sospeso/, a suspended kit will be donated to a patient waiting in hospital for the practice of lanatherapy.

All the raw material used is Italian wool in overproduction, so that from special waste it can become solidarity resource: thanks to the partner Lanificio F.lli Piacenza, the association recovers indigenous Italian waste wool (otherwise burned or abandoned in the fields) and creates balls of pure virgin wool certified in 14 different colors according to an international code that gives each disease a different shade. Part of these balls are destined for lanatherapy projects in hospitals, while another is donated to associations and lovers of knitting. The artifacts made for free by volunteers and volunteers are then donated to other non-profit organizations, which use these creations to raise funds for their research projects.