I can’t believe that already a year has passed since, very very pregnant, I decided to support the hospital my son was going to be born in with some octopuses. And then I wrote about it on this blog. Now my son is a big boy, already starting to walk, and the post “Octopus for a preemie” (with the pattern for the octopus) has had a massive response in a number of countries throughout this time. I received a huge amount of comments and questions about octopuses, from those who wanted to buy one to those who wished to spread the idea further.
So far the post has had the biggest ripple effect in Poland, where a Facebook group called Octopuses for Preemies was created. Right now it gathers almost 4,000 volunteers who crochet octopuses for little babies in hospitals. The group is extremely committed to the cause and extremely productive. Since April it has created 8,000 octopuses for preemies. In the summer it sent 300 octopuses to Danish neonatal units as a thank you for the wonderful idea. Now it cooperates with the Medicus Foundation to send a batch of octopuses to Africa.
Unfortunately, because of many Polish regulations, the group has to provide the volunteers with certified yarn and that requires lots of funds. Therefore, the founder of the group, Joanna Kmieć Kubiak, has also opened a foundation that supports the cause and seeks new sponsors, which is called Fundacja Małych Serc (“The Foundation of Little Hearts”). I strongly urge everyone to support the Polish group and help little preemies. The foundation will give you all necessary information on how you can contribute.
Another country, where a similar group was created is UK. Poles living in UK have created a Facebook group gathering already as many as 884 octopus crocheters. Additionally, Poole Hospital in Dorset, England, has read about the idea and started not only implementing it, but also spreading the news of the wonderful effect the octopuses have on preemies. You can read about its actions in an online magazine for parents babble.com.
In Austria there are two Facebook groups called Oktopus für Frühchen – one in Polish, and one in German.
There is a new group in Italy called “TINtacoli” and in Australia – “Octopus for a preemie – Australia”
In Romania the newly established group is called “Octopus Romania”
In Canada the Facebook group for octopus crocheters is called “Octopus for a Preemie Canada”
And finally, the news of the superb influence the little crocheted loveys have on premature babies has reached the USA. Just a few days ago an article about the Danish octopus idea was posted on the famous Martha Stewart’s website. It had almost 6,000 shares and I can already see the effect it has had on American crocheters and neonatal units. There are many people inquiring about the initiative and a new Facebook group called “Texas Preemie Project” has just been opened. I really look forward to seeing how the campaign is going to develop even further in the States.
Of course there are also countries where the project is already well established – volunteers in the Netherlands can join here, while in France and Belgium there is a Facebook group called “Petite Pieuvre Sensation Cocon France/Belgique” and here is their website.
Here you can find a list of participating countries and their Facebook pages and/or websites.
Have a great day!
Nie mogę uwierzyć, że minął już rok odkąd, będąc już w bardzo zaawansowanej ciąży, postanowiłam wesprzeć szpital, w którym miał urodzić się mój syn kilkoma ośmiorniczkami. A potem napisałam o tym na blogu. Teraz Adaś to już duży chłopiec, który zaczyna właśnie chodzić, a post Ośmiorniczka dla wcześniaka spotkał się od tego czasu z olbrzymim odzewem z wielu krajów. Otrzymałam niesamowitą ilość komentarzy i pytań na temat ośmiorniczek, poczynając od osób, które chciały je kupić, a kończąc na chętnych, by szerzyć ideę na świecie.
Pierwszym i jak na razie największym odzewem na wieści o ośmiornicach okazało się utworzenie polskiej grupy “Ośmiorniczki dla wcześniaków”. Obecnie gromadzi ona prawie 4000 wolontariuszy szydełkujących ośmiorniczki dla maluszków w inkubatorach. Grupa ta jest niesamowicie zaangażowana w sprawę i bardzo produktywna. Od kwietnia stworzono aż 8000 ośmiornic. Latem 300 ośmiorniczek pojechało do szpitali duńskich jako podziękowanie za inicjatywę. Natomiast obecnie, we współpracy z Fundacją Medicus porcja szydełkowych zwierzaków trafi do wcześniaków w Afryce.
Niestety, niezliczone przepisy w Polsce bardzo utrudniają funkcjonowanie grupy. Na przykład grupa jest zmuszona finansować z własnej kieszeni certyfikowaną włóczkę dla wolontariuszy, co wymaga sporych nakładów finansowych. Dlatego założycielka grupy – Joanna Kmieć Kubiak, otworzyła Fundację Małych Serc, która wspiera szydełkowiczów i wyszukuje sponsorów, którzy wsparliby finansowo cel. Bardzo gorąco zachęcam wszystkich do wsparcia tej organizacji, a przez to pomocy małym potrzebującym wcześniakom. Na stronie Fundacji znajduje się informacja, jak można pomóc.
Kolejnym krajem, gdzie utworzyła się podobna grupa jest Wielka Brytania. Polki mieszkające w Wielkiej Brytanii stworzyły grupę na Facebooku zachęcającą do szydełkowania ośmiornic. Ponadto, szpital Poole w Dorset, kiedy dowiedział się o duńskim pomyśle, nie tylko zaczął sam go wprowadzać, ale również rozpowszechnia informacje o świetnym wpływie ośmiornic na wcześniaków w innych krajach. Przeczytajcie o ich poczynaniach w internetowym magazynie dla rodziców babble.com.
W Rumunii nowo otwarta grupa na Facebooku nosi nazwę “Octopus Romania”
W Kanadzie natomiast grupa na Facebooku to “Octopus for a Preemie Canada”
W Austrii natomiast powstały dwie grupy Facebookowe – po niemiecku “Oktopus für Frühchen” i po polsku “Polonia w Austrii dzierga Oktopusse dla wcześniaków”.
I wreszcie wieści o cudownym wpływie małych szydełkowych przytulanek na wcześniaki dotarły za ocean. Zaledwie kilka dni temu w USA na stronie internetowej guru gospodyń domowych – Marthy Stewart, pojawił się artykuł o duńskiej akcji szydełkowej. Aż 6000 osób go udostępniło i już widzę, że spotkał się on z dużym odzewem wśród amerykańskich szydełkowiczów i oddziałów neonatologicznych. Wiele osób pisze do mnie z pytaniami o tę inicjatywę, a na Facebooku właśnie powstała nowa grupa szydełkujących ośmiorniczki dla szpitali w Teksasie o nazwie “Texas Preemie Project”. Z niecierpliwością czekam, by zobaczyć, jak akcja rozwinie się w Stanach dalej.
Oczywiście w niektórych krajach istnieją już długo działające grupy szydełkowe dla wcześniaków – w Holandii chętni mogą dołączyć tutaj, a we Francji i Belgii istnieje grupa Facebookowa o nazwie “Petite Pieuvre Sensation Cocon France/Belgique” jak również strona internetowa.
Tutaj możecie znaleźć listę państw które biorą udział w tej akcji i ich grupy na Facebooku i/lub strony internetowe.
Pozdrowienia!
The octopus project started as you know in Denmark, exactly 4 years ago this month. From there it spread to Sweden, where a woman from the Netherlands picked it up and brought it The Netherlands and Flanders. The project has been doing extremely well there since starting in January of 2014. From the Low-countries it was a short hop to France and Wallonia, where they have seen an explosion of the project since early 2016. More and more hospitals are still joining their project.
There probably are more countries where the project is going strong that I do not know about, but it would be nice if you could mention The Netherlands, Belgium and France as countries where this beautiful project is well-established.
If you are interested, I have their websites and FB-links too.
Dear Ann
I’m aware that there are many other countries taking part in this great project. In this post I just mentioned those I knew started after reading my blog. I will of course add the countries you mention to the post if you send me their websites/fb pages. I actually also plan to make a register with countries and websites.
Best regards
Gosia
Hey, you can add Romania on the list aa well! We are working hard on implementing this project as soon as possible! I also used your pattern to make some octos (I had to make a few adjustments due to the yarn I used, though, and also i did a romanian version starting from it). Anyway, I initiated a group and it’s growing really fast! here it is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/651206478384256/ Thanks for your articles!
Dear Luminita and the second member of the ROmanian group – Raluca,
I’m so happy I can also add Romania to the list and I will do it right away.
Feel free to ask if you have any questions:)
Best
Gosia
Greetings from Romania! ??
We’ve just started the project here, is one day old, but already has almost 200 volunteers.
The group name is Octopus Romania.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/651206478384256/
Dear Raluca and the second member of the Romanian group – Luminita,
I’m so happy I can also add Romania to the list and I will do it right away.
Feel free to ask if you have any questions:)
Best
Gosia
I am very excited to get the preemie project going in the USA in the Portland, Oregon area. Is there a medical requirement that the head has to be that of an octopus? I totally understand about the tentacles. I saw someone did a bunny head with ears and a little nose, but still had the tentacles. Is it possible to do something like that, in addition to the octopus, and still be acceptable. I have met with a regional nurse and she told me to make one sample up, get all the written material together and she will help me meet with the appropriate hospital staff. I am looking forward to hearing from you. I don’t have a website, but if things take off, I certainly will. Thanks, Becky
Dear Becky
That sounds very exciting. Please send me the link when you get the website or fb group and I will add it to this post:)
Of course there’s no medical requirement for the head to be of an octopus. But there can’t be any buttons, beads or anything not made out of 100% cotton and every detail has to be fastened really well to prevent suffocation with small parts.
Feel free to write if you have any questions.
Best
Gosia
Thank you!!!
I would love to make the octopus where do I get the pattern. Tina at sherkdutchgirl@gmail.com
Becky, I live in Northern CA. I saw a post for octopuses for preemies, I am going to contact our local hospital to see if they are interested in the project. I have been making hats and turbans for them and the octopus sounds like a good project. I joined a group but I am interested in yours because of location. Let me know if you have progressed to a web site.
Please add Canada to your list
http://www.facebook.com/octopusforapreemiecanada
Thank you
Brilliant!! Thank you for the info!
Is anyone doing this in South Africa?
If so, could you please forward their details to me.
Thanks!
No one yet but if course I will. And please let me know if you open a website or a fb group.
Best
Who is all participating from the US? Any from Wisconsin? How does one get a pattern?
The pattern is here http://mynomadhome.com/octopus-for-a-preemie-osmiorniczka-dla-wczesniaka/
I suggest you contact the us facebook group to find out if there’s anyone from wisconsin.
Best
I’m in Wisconsin, I would LOVE to help. My son was a premeeie, although he was 10 pounds.
Dear Deana
Please go to http://mynomadhome.com/the-octopus-for-a-preemie-project-a-list-of-countries-and-their-websites/
And contact the US group for info.
where can I get pattern from
You can find it here http://mynomadhome.com/octopus-for-a-preemie-osmiorniczka-dla-wczesniaka/
Hi
I keep coming back to your site! The project is still strong at it has been a year now, since I first heard about it.
Meanwhile I’m also helping out in the Swiss German version – yay.
You can find us at :
http://www.oktopusfuerfruehchen.ch
https://www.facebook.com/oktopusfuerfruehchen/
and the group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/oktopusfuerfruehchen.ch/
best regards
monika
Great Monika I’m happy to hear it. I will add the Swiss group to the list shortly