J.O.’s Journey of Strength, Identity, and Hope

J.O.’s Journey of Strength, Identity, and Hope

“Holy cow, ladies! Thank you! I couldn’t have done it without you. I did it! You were right, Phyllis!”

That’s how J.O.’s latest message to us began—all exclamation points and pure joy.

If the name Phyllis catches your eye, that’s because she’s the same Phyllis who made our founder Barb’s very first Knitted Knocker—the one that started it all. All these years later, the thread she picked up back then is still finding its way to women who need it, one stitch at a time.

Some stories don’t have an ending yet, but are still being written: one treatment, one doctor’s appointment, one small victory at a time. J.O.’s story is one of them.

She began chemotherapy in October 2025, shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer. “I am doing this. I know all the women standing beside me. Hugs and love truly is the strongest medicine!” she wrote to us then. “Thank you for being here with us.”

Since that first message, she’s faced every new challenge with remarkable courage. In April, J.O. underwent a left-side mastectomy with ALND and lymphovenous bypass. At the same time, she had reconstruction surgery—a Goldilocks reconstruction. 💪🏻

Radiation began on July 6, and J.O. has now completed all 30 rounds. Next week, she’ll ring the bell—a milestone that represents an enormous amount of strength, perseverance, and courage. But even as she celebrates completing radiation, her treatment journey continues: chemotherapy starts again next week.

And as she begins this next round of chemotherapy, J.O. will once again use the Paxman scalp cooling system. This time, she has a little extra support behind her: a generous donation from Cap & Conquer. 💖 We are so grateful for organizations and supporters who help make resources like this available to women navigating breast cancer.

Through every step, one thing has stayed constant: J.O.’s determination to keep living her life.

Recently, J.O. started a new part-time job. Every day, she wore her Knitted Knocker to work, quietly wondering if anyone would notice. No one did.

“I have been working part-time for the past month wearing my knitted knocker! No one even knew.”

Like many women adjusting after breast surgery, she’s had little things to figure out along the way. “I do fidget with my bra, but that’s ok. I figured out which shirts I feel comfortable wearing.”

Then came a milestone that might sound ordinary to most people. It was anything but ordinary to her.

“Today I wore a tank top—out of my house to get groceries!”

After proving herself in her new role, J.O. shared something deeply personal with her employer. “After I proved myself for a couple weeks, I said I was a breast cancer survivor… for the first time out loud.”

Her boss told her she never even seemed to struggle. J.O.’s answer says everything about the quiet strength so many women carry through cancer: “I told him I charge my battery on my days off.”

Throughout treatment, J.O. has also used the Paxman scalp cooling system to help preserve her hair. Paired with her Knitted Knocker, it’s helped her hold onto something just as important as how she looks: her sense of who she is.

“Thankful for my knitted knockers and scalp cooling—it actually works. I got my hair growing back wonderfully and never lost my sense of identity. I saw myself when I looked in the mirror.”

Those words are exactly why Knitted Knockers exist. They’re more than a soft alternative to traditional prostheses. They can help restore comfort, confidence, and a sense of normalcy during one of life’s hardest seasons.

J.O. has embraced a perspective that inspires everyone around her. Instead of asking “why me,” she chooses to believe this journey is happening for her, not to her.

Her message to every woman facing breast cancer is one we hope reaches them all: “I’m doing this. I got this. We have each other! Peace, hugs, love and a cure.”

And then, on July 22, more good news arrived. “Thank you and GOOD NEWS, my biopsies both came back benign,” she wrote. “Amen!!!!!!!!”

J.O.’s story isn’t finished. She’s still in treatment. Still showing up. Still finding joy in victories that others might overlook. Soon she’ll ring that bell to mark the completion of 30 rounds of radiation, and then she’ll begin another round of chemotherapy—continuing forward with the same determination, hope, and humor she has shown from the beginning.

And by sharing her journey so openly, she’s reminding countless women that they are never alone.

Thank you, Warrior J.O. , for trusting us with your story. Your honesty and hope are a gift to our entire Knitted Knockers community.

Together, we continue to stitch comfort, confidence, and hope: one woman, one story, and one Knitted Knocker at a time.