‘Every Stitch Is Love’: How Crochet Helped One Woman Heal After Unthinkable Family Tragedy
Honoring her nephew, she crafts heartfelt gifts for families facing cancer battles
Key Takeaways
- Cynthia Allgood used crochet as a therapeutic tool to navigate intense family grief.
- Haden Hat Co. honors her nephew by providing warmth to those battling hair loss.
- Proceeds and donations support cancer patients and the unhoused in Chattanooga.
When cancer struck her family, Cynthia Allgood leaned on the comfort of crochet to ease her grief. Then she realized others battling illness could benefit from her creations! Here, she shares her story with Woman’s World.
Not again, thought Cynthia Allgood as she was told of her nephew Haden’s brain cancer diagnosis on the night of his 16th birthday party.
Her family had already faced her mom’s hysterectomy for cervical cancer. Then only months later, her sister lost her twin babies, and her uncle and her older brother passed from cancer.
Through it all, Cynthia found solace in crocheting, which kept her mind off of her deep sadness.
“They’re starting treatment right away,” Haden’s dad, Jeremy, called to tell Cynthia.
At first, the news was hopeful. “The tumors have shrunk enough to be removed,” the doctor said. But they soon returned.
To make Haden feel less self-conscious about his hair loss, Cynthia crocheted a hat for him. But weeks later, the teen lost his battle.
Cynthia was devastated. As usual, she sought out the comfort of the crochet hook. By then, she had made over 100 hats, scarves and blankets.
I wonder if someone would like these, she thought, and inspired by Haden, she realized, What about others with cancer? Surely they would love something to keep them warm.
Cynthia reached out to Chattanooga Cancer Support Services, and they were thrilled with her gift. Along with hats, Cynthia asked all of her friends to send treats and cards of support to go with them. She also started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money in Haden’s name to help families impacted by medical bills.
“Our patients are humbled that someone is thinking of them,” said the center’s office manager, Kim Newport.
Hundreds of hats later, Cynthia started Haden Hat Co. and has expanded her mission to help the unhoused in her community. She also sells hats on social media, and uses the proceeds to help even more families.
For Cynthia, every stitch is an act of love, and she cherishes each thank-you note she receives. “I get to keep a piece of Haden’s spirit alive and share him with the world,” she says. “It gives me purpose, and I know Haden would be proud.”
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