On Christmas Eve in 1995, Karen Loucks-Baker saw a photo in Parade Magazine that showed a small child that had been going through intensive chemotherapy. The little girl states in the accompanying article that her security blanket has helped her handle the treatments. After reading the article Karen began making homemade blankets to donate to children at the Rocky Mountain Children’s Cancer Center in Denver, and Project Linus was born.
Fast-forward fifteen years. In a hospital in Macon, Georgia a little boy is born too soon. He’s a big baby for having made his appearance a month early, but his lungs are not ready to take the strain. He suffers from a spontaneous phnemothorax, a tear in his lung that fills his chest cavity with air and pushes his heart to the wrong side of his chest. He struggles to hang onto his new life for several weeks, while Mom and Dad wait at his side. Through all of this he sleeps with a soft crocheted blanket under warming lights. When Mom finally gets to hold him, he’s handed to her wrapped up snug in his colorful blanket. That blanket was made lovingly by a wonderful lady who donated her time to Project Linus. And that boy is my son Liam, now a healthy and happy eight month old.
Project Linus is organized and operated by 100% member volunteers. These individuals purchase their own materials and invest countless hours of time to provide comfort to so many children. Project Linus accepts donations and provides opportunities for volunteering at their websites listed below:
- Project Linus- United States
- Project Linus- Canada
