HOULKA, Miss. (WTVA) --Leah McCormick is a breast cancer survivor.
"I was actually diagnosed October 27 last year. This is my anniversary month. It was stage two. I was very lucky," said McCormick.
She said after a series of tests she elected to have both of her breast removed. While that was a hard decision to swallow, she said the hardest part of her battle came
months later with her hair.
"I had long black hair and it just started coming out in clumps just a few days before Easter. I tell you it was harder for me, as a woman, to lose my hair than to lose my breast," added McCormick.
After shedding some tears, with the help of her husband she shaved her head. It is that decision that led her to create "Fabric of Hope."
"It was hard to find really cute hats and when I did find a hat it was almost $30 and that's a lot of money for someone who is not working and going through treatment," McCormick said.
Her mother-in-law started sowing hats much cheaper than the $30. After a few hats, McCormick thought it would be a good idea to give them away to other survivors.
News began to spread like wildfire. Fabric, thread and other material started showing up on her doorstep. She said there were days she would go to the mailbox and find boxes and boxes of stuff from people in other states.
"It has been overwhelming," said McCormick.
She said all the hats are made with love. Some are made with recycled material from a bathrobe, to sweaters, to vintage clip on earrings. She said she aims to spread a little love and a little hope one piece of fabric at a time.
