Since 2015, Knitted Knockers has provided over 5,000 of its hand-knitted breast prostheses to women across the prairies who’ve undergone a mastectomy.
Donna Hreys took over the western Canadian operations along with her sister, Annette Hall, in January.
She said they send out an average of 20 Knockers per week but estimates that number to be low — especially since the Knockers cost nothing to those who request them.
“Our hardest deal is to give away something free because we don’t have any PR money, right? We’re all volunteer,” said Hreys.
The entire operation runs entirely on volunteers, donations, some tears and a lot of laughter.
“We have stuffers. We have knitters,” said Hreys.
She said the knitters buy their own yarn, and the stuffing used in the Knockers is donated by a company out of Ontario that ships it to her Calgary home at no charge.
“They’re more comfortable, they’re airy, they’re easy to wear, they’re light as whatever, they’re free,” she said.
Marnie Mastel had a double mastectomy five years ago. She exchanged her expensive, silicone prostheses for the knitted kind and soon after became a volunteer stuffer.
“My granddaughter said to me, ‘Nan, if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t know,’ when I put them on because you can’t tell,” explained Mastel about the realistic look the Knockers provide.
Mastel has also become somewhat of an unofficial spokesperson for Knitted Knockers.
The Knockers are available online. Several lingerie stores around the province also offer fittings while a number of yarn shops act as drop-off locations for those who have knitted a Knocker.
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