The story behind the B-mail Quilt

"The beauty of B-Mail is that it is a group which is accessible everyday. .....When I first started writing to the list I liked it because I felt I could be a little bit anonymous. I didn’t have to put on a brave face and I could say as little or as much as I wanted to. The process of writing meant that I could reflect, edit and clarify my thoughts and be specific in what I was saying. And someone would always listen and respond."

The ladies from B-mail, the mailing list run through this web site presented their beautiful quilt to the NSW Breast Cancer Institute at the annual Best Breast Breakfast held on Saturday 21st October. The quilt was inspired by one of the b-mailers, Jenny Lowrie who lives in regional southern NSW. Jenny found B-mail extremely valuable in providing information and support as she went thought her treatment for breast cancer. Each square of the quilt was completed by a B-mail member from across Australia, and Jenny created the centre square and assembled the quilt.

The quilt was presented to the BCI as a thank you from the B-mail ladies and will be displayed in the Breast Cancer Treatment Clinic at Westmead Hospital.

Six of the women who contributed squares to the quilt had a fantastic time together at the breakfast.

As told by Jenny Lowrie at the Brest Breast Breakfast, October 2006.

"I’m not sure how or exactly when I found B-Mail, but what a wonderful life-line it turned out to be. Now B-Mail for those who may be wondering what I’m talking about is an online support group facilitated by the Breast Cancer Institute. Basically we’re talking to people via emails and those people can be anywhere in the world. It was my primary support group during and after my treatment in 2003. At a time when I had neither the ability nor the energy to travel to group meetings in our regional areas, B-Mail provided a link to many women walking the breast cancer journey.

It was an accessible and safe place to ask questions, to share information and to express feelings. It allowed a connection with other women’s experiences and from it has grown new and deepening friendships.

The beauty of B-Mail is that it is a group which is accessible everyday. We know a lot of time and effort is put into research, early detection and treatment of breast cancer. It is also very important that the women experiencing breast cancer have a safe and supportive place to talk about it openly and honestly.

When I first started writing to the list I liked it because I felt I could be a little bit anonymous. I didn’t have to put on a brave face and I could say as little or as much as I wanted to. The process of writing meant that I could reflect, edit and clarify my thoughts and be specific in what I was saying. And someone would always listen and respond.

After about 12 months I decided I’d really like to meet the women I was corresponding with so I packed up the car and drove for 6 hours. My husband asked me what I wanted to go to Sydney for. I’m sure he thought I was certifiable when I said ‘to have a cup of coffee with the girls’.

Those cups of coffee and continued correspondence, gave me the confidence to attend my first breakfast.

I began to think deeply about how this email group had helped me along my journey and I wondered how I could show appreciation of that and at the same time bring some awareness to the public of the service that was provided.

I met Kerry Eyles, co-ordinator of B-Mail, at the 2004 Breakfast and quietly floated the idea of a B-Mail quilt, a way of saying thankyou to BCI. I hadn’t thought past the making of it or of what BCI would do with a quilt but the idea was received with enthusiasm.

I posted the idea online in November and received many equally enthusiastic responses. It then took a few months to put it onto paper and plan materials…you can’t rush these things. In March last year, I posted squares of material out to eager B-Mailers, many of whom had pre warned me that they were not sewers and felt they were definitely ‘creatively challenged’…I thought oh yea of little faith!

The completed squares began to filter in over the next 12 months and it struck me how they reflected individuality. No two squares were alike. The same could be said of our breast cancer experiences.

The common thread however was in the telling of the stories behind each block, of friendships and emotional support in meeting the challenges sent our way.

In April this year Jan and Sandy came down home and helped me pick out materials to join the blocks together. We found material in Spotlight that pretty much spoke to us of what B-Mail was all about. That’s the pink material printed with the words Love Help Care and Support.

I give my sincerest thanks to the ladies who have contributed to the quilt and admire their courage and honesty in sharing their stories. I regret that Rita’s square didn’t make it from America but who knows maybe one day it will turn up.

Thankyou BCI for B-Mail."

JennyL
Dry and sunny, spring just around the corner in Southern NSW

Read "The B-mail Quilt - Square by Square"

A group of the ladies involved in the sewing of the quilt - each made a square for the quilt.