Embroidery artwork based on the original oil painting of Elizabeth the Sea Turtle by Artist Terry Webb

The Story of PAT’S HAT

   Last year, two months after my Mom’s 89^th birthday, she discovered a lump on her breast. Around the same time, my friend told me that her employee Pat was undergoing chemotherapy and had lost her hair. I decided to hand paint a sea turtle on the front of a baseball cap and send it to Pat via my friend hoping it would put a smile on Pat’s face.

       Meanwhile, I drove Mom to the oncology center in Orange City for a mammogram as part of the initial diagnosis of her breast cancer.  They took Mom in behind closed doors and let me know that she would be out in about an hour. I watched T.V. in the waiting room for a while, browsed a few magazines and finally decided to sit in the car for a while with the windows open. I had Pat’s hat with me that day. I brought it along to show Mom.

    While I was sitting in the car, I decided to write a poem to go along with the hat. Although I had never met Pat, I wanted her to know that there were people out there who cared. So, the poem Pat’s Hat was written that day in the parking lot of the oncology center.

      When I got home that evening, I showed the hand painted baseball cap and the poem to my husband. He abruptly got up and went to get something in the bedroom. His eyes welled up as he handed me a braid of his hair that he had cut off fifteen years ago. He kept it in a beautiful, little, wooden box on his night stand. I never in a million years thought he would ever part with that braid. But he gave it to me and told me to send it along to Pat. I did send it….along with a note to say that “I’m not sure this is the type of thing you gift someone with, but my husband wanted you to have this. It comes from his heart.”

     Later that week I received a most beautiful email. It was a picture of Pat wearing the sea turtle baseball cap. Her hand was crossed over her heart as she was sending me her love. Well, I just burst into tears!!!!! For two people who had never met each other, we sure touched each other’s lives.

    I also showed the hat and the poem to my friend Jenny before sending them to Pat. She seemed awestruck by the hat and poem together and immediately told me that I needed to make more. “This needs to go into production!” she said. “It’s just beautiful!” I took that as quite a big compliment as Jenny owns a very successful gallery and gift shop called

Ta-Da on Flagler Ave. in New Smyrna Beach. And so, it eventually happened!  Pat’s Hat is in the works and will be making it’s début at Ta-Da.

      Hey, what about Pat and Mom? Well, Pat is happy and healthy, back at work and cancer free. Mom is happy and healthy, back at the piano and cancer free. She will also be celebrating her 49^th year in A.A. this month (Nov. 2010) and will be celebrating her 91^st birthday in February.

     In times of need or times of trouble, my Mom will say “On some days, a little rain must fall.” She will, however, always follow that by telling me to look on the bright side of things.  She will also remind me to be grateful for the things I do have. And she’s right. I will never underestimate the power of having a positive attitude along with being grateful. Outside of having great doctors to see you through, having a positive attitude plays a major role in recovery. That is the meaning behind Pat’s Hat…to share encouragement and strength and friendship and love and a smile! 

      I will be donating 50% of the profits for each hat sold on this site directly to people faced with the financial burden of needing cancer treatment. Helping people to afford groceries, medication, paying bills etc. is the plan.

        PAT’S HAT….a silly poem by Terry Webb…….starts out:

     Turtles of the lakes and ponds

         turtles of the sea,

    All of us are hairless

         and as happy as can be.

                       …. The poem continues as the turtles try to figure out what kind of hat to make for their hairless friend.

        The last stanza is…..

And when your fuzz grows into locks

     just put this hat back in the box.

Your purchase of PAT's HAT includes a beautiful gift card with a full color turtle art print plus the poem inside.
Knowing a person who is going through cancer treatment is not a

prerequisite for purchasing this hat. It can stand on its own as a great

design and can be worn by both men and women. Children’s sizes are also available.

         The turtle was chosen because it is a universal symbol for long life.

                The yellow ribbon signifies cancer awareness.

FOR DETAILED PICTURES AND PURCHASE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO PAGE 2


My Favorite Link:

    click here for...   THE ART MONTAGE      

 Images and literary content belong exclusively to Teresa (Terry) Webb and may not be duplicated, transmitted, distributed, sold or used in any way. Copyright 2010 Teresa (Terry) Webb. All rights reserved.