On March 5, the Lincklaen Shamrocks and their leader, Sue Groetz, where hard at work making rice bags for chemotherapy patients with neuropathy in their hands. The little five-by-five rice bags are put in the microwave for 90 seconds and are used to help warm hands from neurological symptoms. These symptoms are caused by cancer medicine that can kill fast-growing cells.
Groetz decided to make the chemo rice bags because she felt sorry for the people at Hematology Oncology Associates at Brittonfeild Park in East Syracuse. “Many come by themselves and are so sad and hurting. I thought I could do something with our 4H group to make their day a little better,” she said.
Anyone can make these rice bags by cutting two, five-by-five pieces of fabric and sewing all the sides together, leaving a one-and-a-half-inch opening on each. After that, put one square piece inside the other and fill the inside square with rice. Last, sew all the openings up. Then you can donate it to a cancer center.
