Lauren Gross helps people cope with cancer
As an Ambassador Girl Scout choosing her Gold Award project, Lauren Gross was asked to list things she did not like. Cancer topped her list.
When asked how she could help those with cancer, Lauren responded, “By providing patients with support to show them that people care about them.”
That response became Hats for Hope, the foundation for her Gold Award project.
Lauren, 17, is a senior at Hillsborough High School and has been a member of Heart of New Jersey Troop 60278 since kindergarten. Even at a young age, her troop performed community service projects benefiting those both in and out of Hillsborough.
For her community service project as part of work for Girl Scouting’s highest award, Lauren wanted to make hats for cancer patients who lose their hair during treatment.
She began by creating a template to make the hats. The fleece hats are called “no-sew” hats because they do not require the use of stitching.
Lauren contacted local and online businesses requesting the donations of fleece. Numerous hours were spent measuring and cutting fleece squares. Lauren reached out to younger Girl Scout troops in Hillsborough to help her with her project. She asked for help from the high school sports teams, honor societies and volunteer organizations and taught dozens of girls how to make no-sew fleece hats. The hats were individually bagged and sized for cancer patients.
Lauren worked with volunteer services at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick to complete her project. More than 225 hats were donated to the hospital in December.
In addition to making hats and teaching students to make hats, Lauren educated students about cancer and ways to provide support to cancer patients. Lauren has also been in contact with the organization dosomething.org requesting it to explore ways to make her project more sustainable and to reach others throughout the world. This online organization helps young people find ways to give back to communities.
Lauren will be recognized for her accomplishments at the Gold Award luncheon in May. She has also been asked to speak to younger Girl Scouts about her project. When asked what was the most rewarding part of her project, Lauren said she felt “she made a difference in the life of someone.”
Lauren advised Younger Girl Scouts looking to complete their Gold Award “to find something that you are passionate about and just go for it.”