The Lisa Prisco Memorial "Blanket of Love" Project
Lisa Grace Stephens Prisco, born October 29, 1965 was, and continues to be, an inspiration to many. During her brief life, she was a creative force of love and empowerment, strong and beautiful as the things that she created. She was a vocal and active member of the Young Survival Coalition, reaching out to many young women who, like herself, were battling breast cancer, with which she herself was first diagnosed at the age of 25.
Around this time, she started knitting, and I, as a ten-year-old girl who worshiped the ground on which my sister walked, begged her to teach me as well. And so, to me, each stitch now carries my sister's love and forms a fabric that symbolizes the bonds of love that joined her to the world she so changed in her life.
Lisa left this world on September 3, 2009, surrounded in peace and love by the same friends and family she so often thanked for wrapping her in "a blanket of love."
So it is in her honor and memory that Shamrock Swamp, in cooperation and partnership with Art With Heart Mississippi [501(c)3] present the Lisa Prisco Memorial Blanket of Love Fund. Each February, we will select an individual who, nominated by friends, family, or even self, will benefit from a tangible expression of the love and support of those surrounding him or her, and the love and encouragement that Lisa herself would offer, were she here to do so.
Around this time, she started knitting, and I, as a ten-year-old girl who worshiped the ground on which my sister walked, begged her to teach me as well. And so, to me, each stitch now carries my sister's love and forms a fabric that symbolizes the bonds of love that joined her to the world she so changed in her life.
Lisa left this world on September 3, 2009, surrounded in peace and love by the same friends and family she so often thanked for wrapping her in "a blanket of love."
So it is in her honor and memory that Shamrock Swamp, in cooperation and partnership with Art With Heart Mississippi [501(c)3] present the Lisa Prisco Memorial Blanket of Love Fund. Each February, we will select an individual who, nominated by friends, family, or even self, will benefit from a tangible expression of the love and support of those surrounding him or her, and the love and encouragement that Lisa herself would offer, were she here to do so.
.*Materials for The Blanket of Love 2009 and 2010 were purchased from Wellslee's All Strung Out in Mobile, Alabama.
July 2009 - Dianne
I was contacted by a dear friend this spring about Dianne. Dianne was diagnosed with rapidly progressing pancreatic cancer this year, and the prognosis is not good. She had no local family, and was surrounded primarily by a small group of women. I was knitting at the time, and trying to cope with the bleak news from my own sister, who had just entered a hospice program for palliative care at the end of her life. She made the comment that day that she was thankful for the "blanket of love" that her friends and family had wrapped around her. It was then that I decided that I wanted Dianne to have a tangible blanket of love, made by donations and contributions from her friends, both those that knew her and those who were moved by her story. So I went to my favorite local shop, Wellslee's All Strung Out in Mobile, Alabama, and I found some beautiful boucle mill ends to begin my work.
Dianne received her blanket in August. Her friends waited until she was napping comfortably on the couch and they draped it over her.
In early 2010, this blanket was donated back to the Shamrock Swamp to help further our mission of compassion, and is available for sale. All proceeds from the sale of this blanket will go toward the next Blanket of Love.
If you are interested in purchasing this blanket, please contact us to make an offer and discuss details. Thank you.
Nominations and Donations
Each blanket costs about $400 to make and takes approximately a thousand man-hours of labor. These blankets are hand-made for each individual patient or family member who will be receiving one. As such, we are currently able to make two to three blankets a year, and each is funded entirely by your donations. If you would like to make a donation to help with these costs, please use any of the buttons below. At your request, we can arrange for a tax-deductible donation via Art With Heart Mississippi.
Legal note (our lawyers made us say it!): All donations through PayPal will go first to Shamrock Swamp (Katherine Stephens), and will be sent to the Art With Heart office in Mississippi.
NOMINATIONS:
Please feel free to nominate someone you think would benefit from a blanket. As noted above, we are only able to make a few a year, but your nominations let us know where the need is. We will try to make as many as possible, but are limited by hours and funding.
IT IS NEVER NECESSARY TO DONATE IN ORDER TO NOMINATE SOMEONE!!
A recipient will be selected two to three times a year, depending on funding and availability.
Legal note (our lawyers made us say it!): All donations through PayPal will go first to Shamrock Swamp (Katherine Stephens), and will be sent to the Art With Heart office in Mississippi.
NOMINATIONS:
Please feel free to nominate someone you think would benefit from a blanket. As noted above, we are only able to make a few a year, but your nominations let us know where the need is. We will try to make as many as possible, but are limited by hours and funding.
IT IS NEVER NECESSARY TO DONATE IN ORDER TO NOMINATE SOMEONE!!
A recipient will be selected two to three times a year, depending on funding and availability.
Nominate Someone to Receive a Blanket
$25 Donation
All donations are tax deductible through Art With Heart Mississippi.
$
25.00
$50 Donation
All donations are tax deductible through Art With Heart Mississippi.
$
50.00
$100 Donation
All donations are tax deductible through Art With Heart Mississippi.
$
100.00
$200 Donation
All donations are tax deductible through Art With Heart Mississippi.
$
200.00
Or click below to donate an amount of your choice.
We are also able to accept cash, check, and money order. Please contact me for details.
