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SINGAPORE – Having to undergo chemotherapy did not stop retired Amy Lee, 71, from doing her part for charity.
The grandmother of six, who had a relapse of breast cancer last year, made more than 300 masks in the past month as part of a grassroots initiative called Masks Sewn With Love.
“Making the masks made me part of a larger community that showed me concern and concern, and my spirits rose,” Ms. Lee told The Straits Times on Saturday (May 9).
About 50,000 cloth masks made by volunteers will be donated to vulnerable groups, Masks Sewn With Love said Wednesday.
The initiative started with 35 volunteers in Punggol West who wanted to make children’s masks during the nationwide mask distribution exercise in February.
At least 1,000 volunteers, including those from the People’s Association and the Center for Domestic Employees, had sewn the masks, said Kitson Leonard Lee, leader of the organizing team for Masks Sewn With Love.
Some 10,000 masks are intended for groups such as children and youth in shelters.
Another 30,000 masks will go to vulnerable communities here, such as the elderly and cleaners, and the last 10,000 masks will go to domestic workers.
Madam Lee said she found out about the initiative through a friend who is a volunteer.
“I found the process very convenient. You just have to wrap the masks and write the name of the organization on the envelope before putting them in mailboxes,” he said in Mandarin.
Sewing the masks has been a welcome distraction from the body aches from her weekly chemotherapy sessions, she added.
“I had posted about my condition on the Facebook group, and many well-meaning messages reached my inbox,” he said.
Supporters made her feel less alone at a time when her three children and six grandchildren are unable to visit her due to social distancing measures, Madame Lee added.
The former street vendor shares a three-bedroom apartment in Tanglin Halt with her husband, who is also retired. He used to be a maintenance worker.
“The Facebook group (4,700 members) feels like my surrogate family,” said Madam Lee.
Mr. Lee from the organizing team said the initiative can bring together different members of a family to work for a common cause.
“There is a role for everyone in the family, from tracing the templates to … sewing,” he said.
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