Patient creates personalised lace covers to hide insertion lines when undergoing chemotherapy

Terri was first diagnosed with cancer when she was 28 years old. Thirty-three years later, she had to battle cancer again and undergo chemotherapy. The peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line that she had to keep due to the chemotherapy treatments made her feel uncomfortable. She decided to sew some cover that could mask the PICC line.

“I found the PICC line a constant reminder of this horrid illness, plus the fact it was very hot and I wanted to wear short sleeves without my PICC line being on display.”, she mentioned.

A PICC line, is an intravenous access line used to administer chemotherapy or other intravenous treatment to patients at home or in hospital. The PICC lines are usually fixed in the upper arm and stay in place when patients leave hospital so that treatments can be administered again without the need to re-insert a catheter.

The lace covers sewed by Terri provide an attractive and effective accessory to mask the PICC line from view, without affecting the patients’ chemotherapy treatments. The covers can be made in different colours or decorated with accessories, being adjustable to different people, outfits or even moods.
“The covers are really simple to make but are really effective at disguising a PICC line. You can decorate them however you like to suit the patient, I’ve made children’s ones with rainbows and colours on or you could make one to look like a tattoo sleeve or whatever you like.”, Terri stated.

Terri made more than ten covers for different people she met during her chemotherapy treatments at the hospital to help them cope with the use of the PICC lines. Additionally, she also had given instructions to people on how to make their own covers.

“Just to put a smile on someone’s face was pure magic and empowering for them.”, she said.

Adapted from:
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/16395078.patient-creates-personalise...
http://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/news-and-media/729-patient-creates-personal...