Nancy Fales learned how to knit when she was a child, knitting presents for her sisters. Today, at age 92, she makes colorful knitted hats for patients who, like her, are navigating cancer treatment.
Nancy has been giving away knitted gifts since the early 1980s. She began making Christmas tree hats for her local church after her husband retired and they settled down in Minnesota. Since that time, she has regularly donated hats to the children’s hospital in St. Paul. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she made hats for the employees and residents in her retirement community. In January 2024, she was diagnosed with cancer and moved to Southern California for comprehensive cancer care at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center — the most advanced comprehensive cancer center in Orange County.
Nancy recently presented City of Hope Orange County with a special collection of her hats. “I love seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they get the hats,” she said. “It’s a way to help others and give back.”
Nancy’s medical oncologist and hematologist, Nishan Tchekmedyian, M.D., the deputy physician-in-chief for City of Hope Orange County, said Fales is always thinking of others, despite her own cancer journey. “These hats will help our patients who may be spending a lot of time here during infusion treatment,” Tchekmedyian said. “At City of Hope, we’re committed to caring for the whole person, and these gifts will enhance the peaceful, healing environment we have created for our patients. We’re so grateful for Nancy’s generous spirit.”
Nancy enjoys living with her son, Scott, and near her other son, Brad. Her sons make sure she has everything she needs. Although she has slowed down a little bit, Fales takes the opportunity every day to knit hats — which now total in the thousands, by Scott’s count — and she will continue to knit hats for City of Hope for as long as she can.
We sat down with Nancy and Scott to discuss the story behind these heartfelt gifts.
Why did you choose City of Hope Orange County for cancer care?
Nancy: Everyone at City of Hope Orange County goes above and beyond what’s expected of them to ensure that you are happy, content, and know what’s going on. They make sure that you understand the next steps and communicate them clearly. They give you the opportunity to ask questions, and they always walk with you through the process, knowing that the process is probably very foreign to most patients. I’ve worked in hospitals and doctor’s offices as an X-ray lab technician, and I have never seen a place like this, where everyone is so committed to working together for people with cancer.
Scott: Having heard through friends and neighbors that City of Hope has unmatched expertise in cancer treatment, my brother and I felt very strongly that our mother should be treated here. When we have questions, the staff responds incredibly fast, whether in person or through the app. Our family has experienced first-hand the reasons why City of Hope is top 5 in the nation for cancer care. It’s a superior level of care at City of Hope; they’re committed to excellence and seeing every patient as an individual.
What is your wish for the people who are going to get these hats?
Nancy: When I moved back to California for my cancer treatment, I decided that I wanted to donate my hats to City of Hope. I have made hats for cancer patients who have lost their hair, children at the children’s hospital, and even seasonal hats for both children and adults. I can’t just sit and do nothing, so I knit hats in hopes that they will make somebody smile.
Scott: While giving my father’s eulogy at his funeral, I realized that the Lord has a ministry for my mom. I told her during the eulogy that once she has been comforted, she is to go and comfort others with the comfort that she has received. The very next morning, my mother tied small candies to a wide-brimmed hat for a retired pastor whose wife had passed away the year before. She placed the hat on his head and told him that he was to let people take the candies from the hat to celebrate his birthday. He wanted nothing to do with it at first, but people were having the time of their lives enjoying the hat! That pastor had a smile from ear to ear for the first time in over a year. My mother unwittingly stepped into her new ministry the day after my father’s memorial service. My hope is that these hats comfort people who may be feeling vulnerable — that they feel the love and compassion put into making them, knowing that they are not alone.
Scott, from the perspective of a son caring for a parent, what would you want others to know about supporting a loved one with cancer?
Scott: Family has always got to be at the heart of everything you do. If you have a family member in need, you take care of them; it’s that simple. It’s critically important for people to have support from friends and family. With my mom, we’re confident that she won’t miss any appointments, nor be left to make important decisions without loving input. It’s about no one person feeling they have to carry the burden alone.
Nancy, what is your key to navigating cancer?
Nancy: Humor and making people smile are how I get through the day. I used to volunteer at hospitals, and to make someone smile is something really special. One of my neighbors used to say, “How can you spend so much time at a hospital. Isn’t it sad?” I said, “As long as you’ve made one person smile, you’ve done your job.” And that’s where it all started.
When it comes to cancer in Orange County, it’s Hope First. Visit CityofHope.org/OC or call 888-333-HOPE (4673).
Also read: What you need for a chemotherapy care kit