Stitched with love: Volunteers build 4.2m Christmas tree for Cancer awareness
From tiny stitches to a massive display, Pretoria volunteers have turned their craft into a beacon of festive support for cancer survivors.
What began in 2017 as a small act of kindness has grown into one of Pretoria’s most heartfelt community initiatives.
Crochet for Cancer, founded by breast cancer survivor Elza-Marie van Lille and caregiver and Global Hero of Hope, Marlene Jordaan, continues to provide comfort, raise awareness and support those affected by cancer.
This weekend, the group brought its mission to life at Brooklyn Mall, where volunteers gathered for a vibrant Crochet-A-Thon.
Instead of dressing in festive colours, participants brought the colours with them, arriving with hundreds of handmade crochet squares in shades of red, green and white. These Christmas-themed blocks were stitched together to form a striking yarn-based Christmas tree.
A generous community member constructed the steel frame, and the public contributed more than 3 000 squares in total. Around 1 000 squares were used to assemble the final tree, which stands an impressive 4.2m tall and captured the attention of shoppers throughout the day.
Crochet for Cancer is powered by Pretoria’s dedicated knitting and crochet community, who support the organisation through high teas, Shoot-athons, walks and other events.
Over the years, they have produced blankets, beanies, stoma bags, octopuses for premature babies and fleece blankets for oncology patients.
Their efforts support both CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation and Cansa (Cancer Association of South Africa) with fundraising and essential handmade items for patients and caregivers.
After the festive season, every square from the tree will be repurposed into blankets for old-age homes. Funds raised from the Crochet-A-Thon will go to Cansa.
Crochet for Cancer extends its heartfelt thanks to Brooklyn Mall, Manzi Water and every volunteer whose hands and hearts made the project possible, proving that the smallest stitches can create the biggest impact.
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