Quilt #14 Cathy Peterson

Quilt #14 was presented by Joan Schneiter to her dear friend Cathy Peterson.  Joan was my college roommate and in addition to being friends for 30+ years she invited me into my beloved book club.  Joan has joined The Duncan Project as a volunteer quilter and mentor to me.

In Joan's words:

Left Joan, right Cathy.  Notice beautiful Nicole's portrait above the quilt.

When I heard about The Duncan Project, I knew I needed to make a quilt for Cathy and James. I started this quilt long ago but didn’t finish it until I was motivated by the project. Cathy and James lost their darling baby girl to Leukemia almost two years ago. Nicole was an amazing child with great courage! Little Nicole touched many lives and is dearly missed.

Cathy’s family and my family have been friends our entire lives. Our moms, Liz and Jane, were best friends—the original BFFs! They used to make quilts for newlyweds in our neighborhood.  This quilt honors the cherished memory of Nicole and our mothers’ sisterly friendship.  I should have made a quilt with little telephones to truly honor their friendship—the spoke every day—sometimes for hours. 

The quilt is long arm quilted with sunflowers reminding us to look to the sun/SON. Thank you little Nicole for teaching all of us lessons of grace and goodness.

Cathy was happy to share a little of Nicole's story:

Nicole was an unexpected blessing.  Nicole was born July 18, 2011.  She is the youngest of 7 children (I learned after she was born that in Hebrew 7 means perfect).  

 

 

When Nicole was 4 months she had an ear infection that wouldn't clear up.  We took her to the Doctor 4 times in two weeks.  On December 7, 2011 she spit up blood; we took her the ER and she was life flighted to Primary Children's Hospital.  When we arrived at Primaries we were told that our little 4 month baby had Leukemia and not one type but two forms AML and ALL.  It is very rare form of cancer.  It was the first time the Doctors at Primaries had seen a case.  She went under treatment for AML hoping that it would cure the ALL as well.  (They can't treat both cancers at the same time.

They each take different kinds of Chemo).  When Nicole was 10 months she had her first bone marrow transplant from an anonymous donor.  Nicole went into remission.  We are grateful for the gift of life that the donor gave our Nicole.  A year and half post transplant I (her mom) noticed a bump on the side of her head.  I watched it for a few days hoping that it was a goose bump and would clear up.  I took her into the doctor to ease my mind/fear that it wasn't cancer.  After weeks of testing we learned that she had relapsed with ALL leukemia. We again started treatment in February 2014.  On June 17, 2014 Nicole received her 2nd bone marrow transplant, her dad was her donor.  Things were looking up then Nicole developed a rash on her body.  They thought, at first, it was her body rejecting her new bone marrow. Then after more testing they discovered that she had HHV6.  HHV6 was attacking her little heart.  Her little heart had been through so much with the chemo and the bone marrow transplant that it wasn't strong enough to fight back.  On October 27, 2014 our little Nicole returned home to our Heavenly Parents at the tender age of 3. 

Through this journey we have learned that "it is by small and simple things that great things come to pass" (Alma 37:6-7)  And "that God does notice us but it is usually through another person the He meets our needs"-President Kimball.  I have made new friends and I have learned the value of old friends.