By Rachel Kettner | For On Mission
GREEN BAY — Jessica and Greg Simonson are master blanket makers. Since founding the organization Bonnie’s Blankets in 2013, they have made and distributed hundreds of fleece blankets to cancer patients awaiting bone marrow transplants.
“Bonnie is my mom,” Jessica said. “In 2012, she got diagnosed with multiple myeloma. During her nine- to 10-month journey through that, she needed to go to Froedtert Hospital down in Milwaukee to have a bone marrow transplant. She was given lots of amazing things. Fleece blankets was one of them, and she treasured her blankets. Wherever she went, she always had a blanket, whether it was going to the clinic for drawing labs, going to the hospital to get blood and platelets. During her journey, she was always cold.”
Bonnie’s bone marrow transplant was scheduled for December 2012, followed by a three-month stay at Kathy’s House, a hospital guest house in Milwaukee. A restaurant co-owner who was used to working 12-15 hour days, Bonnie didn’t plan on sitting around during her recovery time.
“She was going to make her apple pies and we had bins of supplies needed for apple pies,” Jessica said. “But she knew she could only make so many apple pies. She said to me, ‘I want to make fleece blankets and I want to give them back to the patients that are on the bone marrow transplant unit just like me.’”
Bonnie passed away during her transplant process, but her dream to make blankets for those awaiting bone marrow transplants lives on.
“My husband (Greg) and I were trying to find a way to keep her name out there,” Jessica said. “We decided to take some of the finances that we were given through her funeral process and we made a few blankets and we passed them on to the bone marrow transplant unit. Then we came across some more finances, so we made more blankets. It just kind of evolved.”
Today, together with volunteers of all ages and walks of life, these “blanket warriors,” as Jessica has dubbed them, cut and tie fleece blankets at monthly gatherings in the basement of St. Matthew Church in Green Bay, where the Simonsons are members.
“We bring our bins and bins and bins of blankets,” Jessica said. “We work together laying the blankets out, laying the fabric out. Some people cut, some people tie, and they jump around from table to table and help each other out. At our last event, we made the most that we’ve ever gotten done and that was 42 blankets. But on average, (we make) 30 blankets each time, depending on how many people are there.”
The Simonsons take regular trips down to Froedtert to distribute the blankets.
“We fill up the back of our vehicle and bring about 40 blankets,” Jessica said. “When we get down to Froedtert, they give us a list of all the patients that are currently there that are getting a bone marrow transplant (or) have already gotten a bone marrow transplant, and we are able to go around and meet with those patients and let them pick a blanket from the boxes that we bring. We leave the rest of (the blankets) there for them to be distributed to patients.”
Locally, Jessica also brings blankets to Bellin Hospital in Green Bay, where she works as a registered nurse, as well as to the Bellin Cancer Team.
“Our focus with the bone marrow transplant is because that was my mom’s wish, but we know the need is there, so we continue to offer (blankets) to other people (with cancer),” Jessica said. “The need is always there and it keeps growing.”
For those looking to help with the mission of Bonnie’s Blankets, which became an official nonprofit organization during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are several ways to get involved.
“Financial support is a huge thing,” Jessica said. “We’re always looking for financial support to continue to purchase more fabric. We try to do a lot of fundraisers. Any way that we can continue to find finances to help us along is greatly appreciated. On the flip side, (we) can only buy so much fabric and do so many blankets ourselves. Come help and make blankets and learn what our hopes are for the blankets.”
Blanket-making events are held once a month and everyone is welcome to attend.
“Our hope is that we can keep growing and branch out, possibly, if we got big enough, helping other hospitals and other cancer teams,” Greg said. “We started off in Milwaukee because that’s where Jessica’s mom was, but now we really want to start impacting more in our own community if we can.”
To learn more about Bonnie’s Blankets and upcoming blanket-making dates, visit the website bonniesblanketsinc.com.