A warm hat,
made by hand,
for every head
in chemo.

Handmade hats and blankets, free for men, women and children going through chemotherapy.

Request a free hat Add a stitch
follow the thread
Glendra Ruffin-Raymond, smiling, in a pink top
Glendra Ruffin-RaymondJuly 31, 1949 – December 14, 2016

Why Glendra’s Love began

Antoinette Salaam started Glendra’s Love on July 31, 2017, what would have been her mother’s 68th birthday.

Chemo left her mother cold, so Antoinette picked up her needles.

Glendra Ruffin-Raymond was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in September 2015 and began chemotherapy right away. She didn’t complain about much, but she talked about how cold she was during treatment. Antoinette has always loved to crochet and knit, so she made her mother some hats and a blanket to take to her treatments. Glendra was so grateful. She lost her battle with ovarian and neuroendocrine tumor cancer on December 14, 2016.

“Remembering how important that little gesture was to my mom gave me the idea to create Glendra’s Love.”

AntoinetteAntoinette Salaam
Founder
our mission

Loving warmth for everyone going through chemo

Men, women and children in treatment should know they are loved and not alone.

  • Handmade comfortHats and blankets, knit and crocheted one at a time.
  • Given to clinicsDonated to cancer clinics and centers for patients coping with hair loss, and for extra comfort during treatment.
  • Raising awarenessOf ovarian cancer and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), the cancers Glendra fought.
since 2017

Where the love has gone

Glendra’s Love has donated handmade items to:

  1. Sarah Cannon Cancer Center
  2. American Heart Association
  3. Project Moore Kindness
  4. NewHouse Shelter
  5. North Kansas City Hospice
  6. Project Neighborly Needs
Volunteers and nurses holding Glendra’s Love tote bags at Sarah Cannon Cancer Center
Delivering Glendra’s Love bags to Sarah Cannon Cancer Center
Six volunteers holding Glendra’s Love tote bags at the Sarah Cannon front desk
Sarah Cannon
Two women smiling and holding a bag of crocheted hats with a donation label
in loving memory
A crocheted basket filled with toiletries, with a Glendra’s Love tag
care baskets
Red fleece blankets, first aid kits, lotion, hand sanitizer and notebooks set out for donation
blankets & care kits
A stack of red crocheted hats
made by hand
A crocheted blanket in tan, purple and pink tied with a pink ribbon, with a Glendra’s Love tag
wrapped with love

The hats

Hats and blankets, made one at a time. Always free.

Knit beanie

Close-fitting and warm.

Crochet cap

Light, open, breathable.

Made for you

Your colors, your style.

for you, or someone you love

Request a free hat

  1. 1Tell us
  2. 2We make it
  3. 3It arrives

Nurses and cancer centers can request a batch for patients with the same form.

Hat request

We’ll reply by email. Your details are only used to send the hat.

for Glendra

Add a stitch

Every tap adds one stitch to a scarf everyone who visits is knitting together.

—
stitches so far
three ways in

Keep the needles moving

Make

Knit or crochet hats with us. We’ll share patterns.

Join the makers

Send yarn

Soft, unused yarn gets a second life here. Mail it to:2923 East 29th Street
Kansas City, MO 64128

Donate yarn

Teal and zebra stripes

Our ribbon is teal for ovarian cancer, with zebra stripes for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Glendra fought both. Ovarian cancer’s early signs are easy to miss. If these last for weeks, see a doctor.

  • Bloating
  • Pelvic or belly pain
  • Feeling full fast
  • Urinating more often

NETs are rare and often mistaken for everyday stomach trouble. Flushing, diarrhea or cramps that keep coming back are worth asking a doctor about.

Glendra is why we wear this ribbon.