Cuddles For Cancer Just Had Grand Opening Of Its First Drop-In Location In Downtown Lakefield

If you have a dream, you gotta have Faith. Fifteen-year-old Faith Dickinson's dream was to someday open a physical location for her Cuddles For Cancer initiative, a charity she started when she was just 9-years-old that gives hand-made fleece blankets to cancer patients, veterans, soldiers, the homeless and other people in need of comfort around the world.

That dream was realized on Saturday (November 4th) in downtown Lakefield when a big gathering turned out to help the Grade 10 TASSS student celebrate her grand opening of a Cuddles For Cancer Drop-In Centre that opened at 15 Queen Street.

Faith in front of Cuddles for Cancer Drop-In Centre

The idea behind the drop-in centre—which will be open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays—is for students, seniors and everyone in between to come in to this inviting space and help make fleece blankets, aka "cuddle blankets", for those in need.

Since starting Cuddles for Cancer, more than 3,500 blankets have been sent to people in need around the planet, and with more volunteers involved at this drop-in centre, that number and the speed of making them should increase markedly.

Faith's Cuddles For Cancer has brought her attention and accolades around the world. Earlier this year, she met Prince Harry and William after receiving a Legacy Award (established in honour of Princess Diana) from them in London, England. The award goes to youth children making a monumental impact on society.

Faith pictured at Grand Opening of Cuddles For Cancer Volunteer Centre

Faith, who is also Youth Ambassador on the United Way Peterborough campaign cabinet this year, touches people globally and locally with her blankets. In September, she presented Cuddle Blankets to women at the New Canadians Centre in Peterborough.

All the fleece used to make the blankets is stored in the basement of the new drop-in location...

It should come as no surprise to those who know Faith that her ambitions with Cuddles For Cancer do not end here.

She would love to see more Cuddles For Cancer Drop-In Centres open in other cities at some point, and there is even talk and interest in starting one in London, England.

For more info on Cuddles For Cancer, visit the website here.

To inquire about helping out with the Drop-In Centre and making fleece blankets, click here.

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