Teddy ton marks years of dedication

Palmerston North's Jean Cameron has just knitted her 1000th teddy bear for sick children at the city's hospital, after years of quiet dedication.

It is a total more than 15 years in the making and the 84-year-old is not ready to put away her knitting needles yet.

The comfy living room at her retirement village is Cameron's daily workspace.

She describes her creations as plain, but they are bright and cheerful.

She started making them for St John. It provided the pattern, but she has got it pretty-well memorised now.

"Normally I've got a store of wool and we get given a lot for our knitting group. I just take a look and think, 'I haven't done a green one for a while, I'll do that,' and then try to find a different colour to put over its chest."

She keeps a record of every bear, and once a few are done, they are packed up and the bright bundle goes to the hospital.

Cameron has never timed how long it takes to make each teddy, but reckons it is about a day-and-a-half's work once she has stuffed them and added their eyes and mouth.

"I thought I would do them to fill in some spare time. As you get older you're not as active as you were. That's really how it started," she said.

"I like knitting and I had some wool that my mother and sister had given me."

Some of the bears are also given to dementia patients.

Cameron hears the occasional story about where they end up, including after daughter Sonia Rogers posted on social media.

"I put it up on my Facebook page a couple of years ago. I thought it was amazing and she had a lovely array that made a good photo," Rogers said.

"I was really surprised. I got lots of comments back from people whose children had been in hospital and they were all saying, 'Oh, so and so has still got their little teddy and it's much loved'."

Cameron was pleased to hear it.

"I've got one lady here who came to me and said, 'My granddaughter took one overseas.' It was quite nice to know that they went out of New Zealand as well."

Rogers is proud of her mum's work.

"When I thought about it, 1000 is quite a number. Mum does them, sends them off and really doesn't know what happens to them.

"I thought we should just acknowledge the fact that she has put all that time into them - cheers to Mum"

Cameron's mother Nin Gordon was a great knitter and in retirement also used to make all sorts of items for a Wainuiomata organisation.

Because her mum, and mother-in-law, were such good knitters, Cameron said her needles were rarely called on until she and husband Gary retired from running a bakery in Lower Hutt.

"All of a sudden after working in the bakery for 30 years I had nothing to do... I tried crocheting, but I found that hard."

Gary died seven years ago.

"I think I would have been lost without the knitting of the teddies, because I needed something to do.

"I've enjoyed the time, but when I look back and find I've done 1000 it even makes me blink," Cameron said.

Despite arthritis in her hands, she said she would keep going.

Health New Zealand interim group director of operations for MidCentral Katherine Fraser-Chapple said the hospital's children's ward was lucky to receive many of Cameron's bears, and it offered her a huge thank you for her years of hard work.

"These cuddly bears are more than just practical - they help bring smiles and a sense of comfort to our young patients and their families during what can be a difficult time.

"The children, and their families, really love receiving them, and they often become something special to hold on to during their stay. It's these small, thoughtful gestures that can make a big difference."

Fraser-Chapple said the bears often had plasters affixed and other "injuries" looked at to mirror a child's.

"We are incredibly grateful for the time and effort Jean puts into every piece she makes. Reaching 1000 donations is such an amazing achievement, and we feel very lucky to have been part of that journey."