Cancer survivor Julie Ann Ferreira shares her sewing journey with us
"My heart is filled with joy and gratefulness for where I am today. Smile and always remember to be kind." - Julie Ann Ferreira.
As we draw closer to the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Carol Ofori decided to celebrate a woman who has survived two cancers, has a passion for sewing, and enjoys spreading joy by making soft toys, wedding garments, and all things sewing.
Julie Ann Ferreira is a woman with a mighty spirit who has been sewing for 55 years. She has survived cervical and breast cancer, enjoys giving through sewing of all kinds, and believes in community upliftment.
Ferreira started sewing at the tender age of eight and followed in her paternal grandmother's footsteps. Her father always believed she would follow her grandmother's path, who was employed in the Royal Danish household as a seamstress.
I have made everything from curtains to making wedding/evening/prom dresses, toys, bedding and film/theme costumes. As a youngster, my dream job was to work for a large theatre production and make historical costumes; I just love the rich colours and material textures. To date, I have made 14 wedding dresses, and the next one is currently on the way. Most of the wedding dresses I have done for free, I just love the idea of making something that will basically be used only once and will be showcased on the bride’s special day reflecting her personality.
It was inspiring to hear that Ferreira still held her grandmother's advice close to her heart and practised it to this day.
She said that her grandmother told her that a wedding dress must always have its final stitch done on the wedding day. It could be anything from a button to a bead, but it must be done on the wedding day. She said this might sound superstitious, but it's something she has practised since she began her journey sewing wedding dresses.
In 1996, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and although she went through with the necessary treatment and overcame the cancer, she was left with episodes of depression.
In July 2022, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a lumpectomy. As part of her therapy, she joined an Aqua Aerobics class on 22 September 2022 – The Silver Mermaids. She recalls meeting a fantastic bunch of ladies who were mostly over 60. She found solace in this group of women.
They supported me through every single step of my recovery journey, made me laugh on days when I was down, and just held me when I cried. At the end of September 2023, one of the ladies asked if anyone would be willing to sew or knit an elephant. This was in support of KPCA – the Keep Pietermaritzburg Clean Association, which was trying to reach a target of 185 ellies to celebrate the City of Pietermaritzburg’s 185th Birthday Celebrations. We eventually exceeded the total. KPCA’'s vision is to see the communities of Pietermaritzburg rise and reclaim our city and make it beautiful.
This was where her journey with making 'Ellies' - stuffed toy elephants - began. She donated 163 Ellies to the KPCA and the word spread from there.
"Exactly one year later, I counted that I had made a total of 580 Ellies, and if they were laid head to foot, they would make a trail 1040m long, just over 1km. My next challenge is making the trail reach 2km before Christmas so they can be donated," she said.
Her 581st Ellie was gifted to our very own Carol Ofori in celebration of her Woman Crush Wednesday segment, which she found was a "healing balm to many people".
"Each year for my birthday, I give away that number of sewn items – this year for my 63rd birthday, I made 63 Brave Bears – cousins of the Ellies, and donated them to ALS Paramedics for them to keep in their ambulance units to be able to hand out to patients," Ferreira said.
As I complete each soft toy, I hold it cupped in the palms of my hand, kiss it asking that it bring joy to whoever receives it. My heart is filled with joy and gratefulness for where I am today. There are far too many people who I need to thank but I am sure that they all know exactly who they are. My gran’s words constantly resound in my head… smile and always remember to be kind. Unknowingly, I have been preparing for this part of my life for years… and now the blessings are flowing.
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