9-year-old Maryland girl crochets handmade hats to help cancer patients
By Jenyne Donaldson
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TIMONIUM, Maryland (WBAL) — A Timonium girl is crocheting for a cause: Kaylee Milano, 9, hopes to spread joy to children with cancer by making hats and delivering them to the hospital.
It was an idea sparked by personal experience.
“I want to make people smile,” Kaylee said.
Kaylee got an idea for a stack of hats her mom was making, one she hopes will bring joy to sick children.
“I said, ‘We could give them to people with cancer,'” Kaylee said.
She understands what it means to be sick, but not why, after spending lots of time in the hospital herself and missing most of the second grade.
“I have juvenile arthritis, and, like, I have to get blood tests and all, and last year was horrible,” Kaylee said.
She said being in the hospital is scary, not just for her, but for her mom, too.
“It was a nightmare. It’s the most terrifying thing because you don’t know how to help your child. You don’t know what to do to comfort them. I mean, even still knowing that she has JIA, there are days when she’s in so much pain, she sobs,” said Amanda Milano, Kaylee’s mom.
Kaylee’s arthritis makes it difficult to use crochet needles, so she uses a loom instead for dexterity. But she and her mom aren’t the only ones making hats.
“Some people are sending them from Canada, some people are sending them from Maryland,” Kaylee said.
Her mom is asking her crochet groups if anyone had extra hats, and the response has been overwhelming. Dozens of hats are being sent to Kaylee to take to the hospital.
“I’m going to send them to Sinai (Hospital) first, and then just keep going on what hospitals we find,” Kaylee said.
The Milanos hope to make monthly donations to children’s cancer centers beginning this month.
For more information or to find out how to help, you can visit Kaylee’s Facebook page.
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