As a way of giving back to their community and helping those in need, Janet Collins and Jean Hall spend hours on end sewing pillowcases to put on travel-sized pillows for children.

The Dunwoody neighbors do this work on behalf of the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children. Mary Moore, executive director, said the foundation is the first line of support of families of children with brain and spinal cord tumors or cancer in Georgia and throughout metro Atlanta.

“We provide direct patient and family services and hands on support, a lot of financial assistance to families when their child is going through this horrible experience,” said Moore. “In most cases a mother or father will have to give up time from work to care for their child and they find themselves in this crisis and they don’t know how they’re going to pay their rent, car payment or utilities … so we help with that.”

Hall was the first to hear about the foundation, having volunteered there before, but took a short break to return to work.

“I’ve been volunteering on and off for several years,” said Hall. “I took a break from volunteering because I went back to work and I came back and helped Mary with a few things. Then Janet and I came up with this wonderful idea.”

Collins recalled reading a magazine article about a mother across the country who sewed regular-sized pillows for her son and other children in the hospital. She then emailed Hall, who just so happened to have read the same article — it was then the idea was born to make the pillowcases.

“So it was meant to be,” said Collins. “I asked Jean and then we thought about doing smaller pillows and then I thought ‘Do we just go to Scottish Rite, how do we get started?’ She had known about the Brain Tumor Foundation and said that would be our in to the children.”

Hall usually orders the pillows a bundle at a time and the women visit stores like Hobby Lobby to gather the pillow case fabric, which comes in a variety of colors, prints and styles to give a variety to the children.

The pillow cases are removable so they can be washed, which helps with hygiene — something important for the families.

Sherry Samuels, director of patient and family services, said the children appreciate the pillows and that often, a younger sibling receives a pillow as well.

Besides the pillows, Samuels added they do many activities for the families as well as send out birthday and seasonal cards to the patients.

Moore, who has been with the foundation for 11 years, summed up the feeling of the work they do with the foundation: “It’s just the most rewarding thing … I don’t think there’s anything greater in life than doing something for someone else.”

Upcoming events
Cagle’s Family Farm
 opens Aug. 31, 5 p.m. for the fall season
a portion of entry fees during Labor Day weekend will benefit the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children
there will be hayrides, a corn maze, farm animals, a kid’s zone and bonfires for the entire family
 Visit www.caglesfamilyfarm.com /fallfun.php

Annual Tumor Trooper run/walk
 Sept. 8 at the Mansell Crossing Shopping Center in Alpharetta
registration begins at 6:15 a.m., one-mile walk starts at 7:30 a.m., 5K run starts at 8 a.m., the Kids’ Korner includes a ride-on train
registration is $25 before Sept. 1 and $30 the day of the event
Visit www.braintumorkids.org/tumor-trooper-runwalk-atlanta.html.