11-year-old sews cheerful hospital gowns for young patients: "This is way more important than other things that I could potentially do"
Freehold, New Jersey — After her cousin was diagnosed with cancer at 10 months old, 11-year old Giuliana Demma of Freehold, New Jersey, noticed all the children in the hospital were wearing gowns as drab as their diagnoses.
"I was thinking that maybe I could sew gowns for kids like her that have cancer," Demma told CBS News.
She learned to sew two years ago and hasn't stopped making more cheerful gowns since, calling her operation G's Giving Gowns. She said she sews for two to three hours a day after school "because I feel like this is way more important than other things that I could potentially do."
So far, she has donated about 170 gowns to children across the country, who can select any design they like. Requests so far include fabrics featuring Disney characters, sports team logos, koalas and Harry Potter designs. Her operation has grown big enough that she now has donors who pay for the material. And her passion is so contagious, she's even inspired friends to ask for sewing machines for Christmas. Now they're learning to sew hospital gowns too, helping to dramatically ramp up production.
"She's a really good teacher," one friend learning to sew said. Another added, "It's so cool doing this to help little kids."
"It just makes me know that all my hard work making the gowns pays off," Demma said.
To contact On the Road, or to send us a story idea, email us: OnTheRoad@cbsnews.com.
