BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — A group at Warren East High School is changing lives through a school project.
Students and staff are sewing shirts with zippers so chemotherapy patients can have easy access to their chemo ports.
The idea started when Andrea Brown, Warren East High School art teacher, had a battle with breast cancer in 2023.
“In February, I was diagnosed with stage 3 ductal carcinoma, which is a form of breast cancer," Brown said. "I actually had to do chemo for six months.”
During those months, a chemo port was implanted under her skin to deliver chemotherapy medications.
But during her chemotherapy, Brown found it hard for her and her doctors to have access to her port. She, along with Warren East High School’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), started a project: "ChemoComfort." It involves cutting up shirts and sewing zippers onto them for people in chemotherapy and needing easy access to their port.
Students have worked hard on the "ChemoComfort" shirts, donating many to chemotherapy patients.
“They have finished 20 shirts that have been donated to a local cancer center," said Jamisen Abernathy, Warren East High School FCCLA adviser. "As of right now, they have about 10 that are ready to donate, and they continue to work on them every day.”
“Unfortunately, I have people in my family who have dealt with cancer," said Taylor Mills, a Warren East High School who has worked on the project. "The way that these shirts will benefit people in to not having to buy something or be uncomfortable will be great.”
Student leadership program Lead4Change noticed the students' hard work and granted them $7,500. They will use the money to travel and showcase their project.
“Hopefully, we can reach more schools and donate (the shirts) to more people that are in need or want to be comfortable while receiving their treatment," said Jamie Phelps, a Warren East High School student who has worked on the project.
Brown said acts of kindness like these can help someone going through something tragic.
“What you do need is comfortable access to medical care, and that’s what these are," Brown said. "Insurance should cover them. But since they don’t, we have wonderful kids who are going to make them for people, and we are going to keep doing this.”