The story of the knitted hat . . .
About a decade ago my friend Dalla Brown from Canada began
treatments for a cancer diagnosis. To
support her recovery I commissioned my sister, Cheryl Madson of Bothell, WA
(who is a marvelous knitter) to make a special funny cap in case the need arose.
I picked out the wild and crazy wool at a little shop in Half Moon Bay. Cheryl knitted it and shipped it to me in
California. I sent it to Dalla in
Gananoque, Ontario. After keeping the cap for a few years, Dalla returned it to
me; and I sent it to be worn by my good friend, Trudy Boyle, another Canadian
lady then living in Calgary. When she
began her chemo she started a collection of hats/caps to wear. A few years later, after Trudy’s lovely hair
had all grown back in, and curly to boot, she returned the cap to me. I shipped it recently to Canada, to Toronto,
where a special friend and former student of mine, Monica Romig Green, was
living. Monica is a Spiritual Director
and Counselor. Now that her treatments
are complete and her hair is growing back she returned it to me. Today I mail the cap to my dear sister in
law, Lynn Ryan, who is in Virginia and in the middle of her treatment
schedule. I hope that she will wear it
occasionally with a smile remembering the others who have worn this cap during
their journey. The cap is a little
large, so some wear it by rolling over the band or on top of a scarf or other
skullcap. It is my hope that the cap
will continue its journey on to cheer on the recovery of others who will be
taking this adventure.
Thank you, Cheryl, for beginning this tradition.
August 27, 2013
Patricia Ryan Madson
