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Knots of Love provides comfort to young patients

The community at Lions Park Elementary School in Mount Prospect held its third Knots of Love event Friday evening at Prospect High School.

Unlike the last two events, which celebrated Lauren Graver's heroic battle against a rare cancer, this one was filled with memories. Lauren died in December less, than a month after dropping the puck with Eddie Olczyk at the Chicago Blackhawks' "Hockey Fights Cancer" night.

Lauren, who was a 10-year-old fourth-grader when she died, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a muscle-based cancer, just a month before starting second grade.

Teacher Toby Black came up with the idea of a Knots of Love community project to make blankets for pediatric patients at Advocate Lutheran General Children's Hospital in Park Ridge.

Lauren had received such a blanket when she was first admitted for treatment, and it meant a lot to her, family and friends said.

The first year, Lions Park Knots of Love made 430 blankets.

"Each blanket was tagged with a heart that students at Lions Park colored, many of them with words of support and encouragement written on the back," Black said at the time. "A sticker was placed on each colored heart that said, 'Made in honor of Lauren Graver and tied with love for you!'"

Hockey Fights Cancer night takes on special significance

One month after dropping puck at Blackhawks game, Mount Prospect 10-year-old dies

  Connor, 16, Emma, 10, and Claire Graver, 14, hold up one of the finished blankets honoring their sister Lauren, who died of cancer in December. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Kimmy Martin, 16, and her brother David, 9, of Mount Prospect get to work on a blanket in honor of Lauren Graver on Friday at Prospect High School. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Paige Hall, 11, of Mt. Prospect finishes tying knots on a blanket made in honor of Lauren Graver on Friday night at Knots of Love event at Prospect High School. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
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