'Cheer and joy': Stuffed With Love delivers Christmas stockings to cancer patients
Christmastime, cancer and COVID-19 can be a cruddy combination for chemotherapy patients.
But Smyrna volunteers with Stuffed With Love Project hope to bring comfort and joy by delivering Christmas stockings to more than a dozen cancer treatment facilities in Middle Tennessee.
"These stockings bring just a little bit of cheer and joy and encouragement in this hard time when you have cancer in the middle of COVID, in the middle of Christmas," said Jenifer Niederherfer, founder of Stuffed With Love.
This year, it's needed more than ever, she said. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, patients must undergo chemotherapy treatments without the company of a loved one.
Niederwerfer garnered the idea for stuffed stockings while undergoing treatment for breast cancer in 2012. After beating "the monster," as she calls it, the cancer survivor started her own initiative and gathered 200 stockings to deliver to cancer patients.
That same year, Tammy Sandlin, a former Rutherford County culinary arts teacher, faced her first battle with ovarian cancer. North Boulevard Church of Christ, where Sandlin attends, provided wraparound services for her family — from food trains to yard and house work. It was a life saver, she said, and she wanted to pay it forward.
Sandlin's church also started a cancer support group, and they assembled goody bags for chemotherapy patients that Christmas season.
In 2017, Sandlin's sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Six months later, she was battling ovarian cancer again.
Clinging to sisterhood and any bit of sanity they could muster, they joined Stuffed With Love. Then the North Boulevard cancer support group followed suit and partnered with the project.
"After seeing what miracles God was doing, they wanted to be part of it," said Sandlin, who went into remission again in 2018.
Through the partnership, around 500 stockings were distributed annually. And last year — in the middle of a pandemic — Stuffed With Love delivered a 700 stockings to a dozen cancer centers.
"We'll probably go beyond that," Niederwerfer said.
This year's project has special meaning for Sandlin after battling metastatic ovarian cancer for a third time.
"I'm a walking miracle," Sandlin said, tears welling in her eyes.
"I know God keeps giving me these big miracles for my purpose and my purpose is to make sure nobody does this alone."
Donations for Stuffed With Love Project are being accepted through Dec. 6. Items can be dropped off in Murfreesboro at the North Boulevard Church of Christ office, 1112 N. Rutherford Blvd., and First Bank's main office, 615 Memorial Blvd.
You can also donate through the Wish List for Stuffed With Love on Amazon.
Ideas for stocking stuffers
Kind bars
Chex Mix
Skinny Popcorn
Pretzels
Cracker packs
Gum
Granola bars
Lemon drops
Gummies
Cocoa and cider pouches
Tea bags
Peanut mix
Chapstick
Masks
Eye masks
Hand sanitizer
Mini crossword books
Mini games
Back scratchers
Fuzzy socks/gloves
Toothbrush
Beanies and head coverings
Insulated water bottles
Reach reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com. Keep up with restaurant news by joining Good Eats in the 'Boro (and beyond) on Facebook and follow Murfreesboro Eats on TikTok.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Stuffed With Love: Christmas stockings give cheer to cancer patients
