Image courtesy of Jessica Foss
West Potomac High School senior Jessica Foss should have been thinking about prom, graduation and heading off to college in the fall.
Instead, in May 2020, in addition to missing out on typical senior year activities because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Foss received a diagnosis that would turn her world even more upside down – cancer.
As an active person who played soccer and ran track at the school, the diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma was particularly challenging.
“When I was diagnosed back in May of 2020, I wasn’t allowed to do anything so I went from two practices a day to I was only allowed to walk,” explained Foss. “One of the hardest parts about going through treatment is I had so much time on my hands and I’m someone who needs to stay busy.” Foss quickly realized she needed to find other ways to take up her time.
She stumbled across a video online of a girl knitting a blanket and decided to make one as a gift for her mother. Knitting quickly became therapeutic.
“It made me feel productive, when I wasn’t feeling very productive a lot of my time in treatment. It was a really nice outlet and for me. It was calming. It gave my mind something to focus on other than the terrible situation I was in,” Foss said. While going through in-patient treatment, Foss also taught another patient and two nurses how to knit blankets.
Foss knew she would be needing a lot more yarn but she wanted to find a way to support a local business instead of order from a large retailer like Amazon or Michael’s. After a quick search, she and her parents reached out to AR Workshop in Alexandria to find a way to partner.
Image courtesy of Jessica Foss
Jessica Foss meets Katie Nguyen Wells, owner of AR Workshop
AR Workshop is no stranger to giving back, working with non-profits Space of Her Own and empowerHER to mentor girls. In addition, AR Workshop raises cancer awareness through programs like Blankets to Bust Breast Cancer to support Tigerlily Foundation, and the Alexandria-based National Breast Cancer Foundation.
“I was happy to set up a custom page for her, and her family and friends were able to donate yarn or order a blanket,” explained Katie Nguyen Wells, who owns AR Workshop. Because of the nature of Foss’ treatment, she was unable to receive traditional gifts like flowers and foods at the hospital, so yarn became a way for people to show their support. The yarn was offered at a discount and so far, friends and family have purchased more than 200 balls of yarn (known as skeins) for Foss.
Amazingly, Foss was able to complete a year at University of Pittsburgh, which was offering online classes during the pandemic. She came home from Johns Hopkins, where she was receiving treatment, in August. She is taking this fall semester off from the University of Pittsburgh to wrap up her last treatments before she hopes to attend in-person classes there in the spring. She to transfer to the nursing school.
During this time she is continuing to make and sell blankets through her online Etsy shop, which she has named Making a Full Life. Her goal is to bring awareness to children with cancer. For every three blankets she sells, she will donate one to someone who has been affected by cancer whether a patient, family member, medical professional or cancer treatment facility. “Blankets are cozy and something to wrap up in, and it’s nice and they’re fun to make,” said Foss.
Foss has been touched by the support her community shown during her cancer experience. Even the principal and teachers from West Potomac checked in on her. “Just about everyone has been amazing. My neighborhood just in general, they have all rallied around me."
You can purchase yarn to donate to Foss through the AR Workshop page or contact her through Instagram @makingafulllife or Etsy to order a blanket.
