On the second of June I launched a project called “Operation Cover Cameron”. You can check out the blog post here but I will also give you a quick re-cap.
Part way through his deployment on HMAS Darwin for Operation Slipper (now Operation Manitou) Able Seaman Combat System Operator Cameron Green was sent home early due to a hip complaint. He was then diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, and has needed to undergo chemotherapy. As if that is not enough, he fractured his femur whilst in hospital and has to undergo surgery for that too.
On HMAS Darwin’s Facebook post about Cameron they wrote
the deployment. He reports that while watching the recent FA Cup final in hospital he was
repeatedly in trouble with the ward nurses, as his constant cries had them believing he was in
some sort of pain. As the game was televised early in the morning in Australia, he was not very
popular on the ward.”
As you can imagine the crew was devastated to hear the news and have been keen to stay in
touch and support Cameron as much as they can, albeit from a distance.
What do quilters do in a crisis? We make a quilt! Simple really!
When I announced Operation Cover Cameron I was overwhelmed by the response. I asked all the volunteers to make a red and white star block using a tutorial posted on the blog. Before long all the stars came flying in from all around the country. I decided that the quilt needed to be a row wider than normal, to allow us to fit in more stars and therefore, to allow more people to contribute. Also, Cameron is not a little fellow so I figured we needed to make it nice and cozy for him. Besides, this quilt does not have to fit in to a Bx2 Box or on a ship’s rack. When he goes back to sea I will gladly make him a quilt that will fit on his rack!
The large panel in the middle features the following poem, written by one of the crew.
Iit seems rather immodest to say it but in all honesty Cameron was pretty chuffed with his quilt. His father asked me convey just how grateful he and his family are to all those involved in the making of the quilt as well.
As for how Cameron is going and what is ahead of him….. well he starts his next two weeks of Chemotherapy on Monday. Once that is completed he will head over the St Vincent’s Hospital to have surgery to replace his damaged hip. At some point after that, once he has recovered to an appropriate stage, he is hoping that he will be transferred to Brisbane where his family live so that he can benefit from being close to home and friends….and mum’s coooking! At the moment his parents are taking it in turns to travel down and spend a week with him in Sydney.
Cameron and his family have a way to go on this journey but I know you all join me and wish him the very best for a speedy recovery as son as possible.
Till next time…………….keep spreading the word and happy stitching! JMxx
Fantastic quilt – well done everyone! Best wishes
to Cameron!
All the best Cameron, The quilt is really lovely. Great job everyone. Love the poem.
What a wonderful effort by everyone! Well done.