Staff from the obestetrics and gynecology department sew patches to create a blanket to donate to the homeless.
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Staff in the obstetrics and gynecology department, in collaboration with the Health Science Center Medical Hispanic Center of Excellence, crocheted and knitted two 49-patch blankets to give to Warm-Up America! for donation to needy individuals.

Contributors to the Warm-Up America! (WUA!) project knit or crochet thousands of large afghans each year that are donated to the homeless.

“Sometimes I crochet or knit during my lunch break and members of my department have repeatedly expressed interest in learning,” said Melissa Nashawati, M.P.A., research coordinator and Women’s Health Initiative project manager in the department of obstetrics and gynecology. “As Christmas presents last year I gave several colleagues knitting or crochet needles and suggested that we construct a blanket for Warm-Up America!”

Staff from the Hispanic Center for Excellence show their blanket they donated to Warm Up America!

Nashawati provided knitting and crochet tutoring on Thursdays for individuals in her department, allowing time to create patches for the blanket. When Sylvia Castillo, health careers program coordinator at the Medical Hispanic Center for Excellence, heard about the work of the obstetrics and gynecology department, her department took interest and constructed a blanket of its own. Castillo taught her group how to crochet.

The Warm-Up America! project collects completed afghan blankets for distribution to various charitable organizations and agencies that hand out the afghans to homeless and needy persons. Blankets have been donated to battered women's shelters, the homeless and victims of natural disasters.

Nashawati said the department of obstetrics and gynecology plans to either knit or crochet caps for chemotherapy patients and hats for premature infants after the blanket is complete. They will continue knitting or crocheting patches throughout the year in hopes of submitting more blankets for Warm Up America! next year.

If you are interested in participating in future projects, contact Nashawati at Nashawati@uthscsa.edu.