SEWING CLUB GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY
The commitment of giving back to the community has brought a band of women to form the Banking Karma Sewing Club. It is led by Bula Broads founder Denise Kloeden.
The social club was formed in April 2017 to initially supply “sparkle bags” to the Lancaster Oncology Ward at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.
The club was named by talented dressmaker Manju Raj. The name of the club was derived from an invitation Ms Kloeden had sent to invite club members.
Ms Kloeden said: “We will have to sew our designs for these unique projects. I need you all to come along and bank some karma.”
This group involves women in Fiji and Australia to do charity work, sparkle up people’s lives and share laughter through witty conversations.
The women meet on a Wednesday, once or twice a month depending on urgent calls for items.
The group has eight permanent tailors and 10 women they call on to assist with cutting or stuffing as needed. “We chose to support women cancer survivors,” she said.
“Our sister organisation Suva Cancer Society volunteers also deliver these items via hospital and home visits to those going through their cancer journey”.
For the past five years, the Sewing Club has been providing cancer patients and survivors with bandannas and turbans, breast cancer mastectomy pillows and hospital sparkle Bula Bags for our cancer warriors.
As a breast cancer survivor herself, she was given a unique mastectomy pillow in Australia in the year 2020 and it was used as a model for the 140 single and double mastectomy pillows they have so far donated to breast cancer survivors all over Fiji.
“We also have ongoing projects like the undergarment projects and we have been supporting five preschools around Fiji,” she said.
Even the smallest bag of Pure Fiji and a bright cancer turban will sparkle up a cancer patient. No amount of hard work replaces the joy and sincere appreciation that they see in these women after receiving their unique donations.