BREAST cancer survivor Glenis Pugliese likes to joke about how she didn’t need therapy to cope with the disease that disrupted her life two years ago.

But there is nothing light weight about the importance her friends, the Glenrose Patchworkers, had on her recovery.

“They helped me get through the cancer diagnosis and the treatment,” the Warwick woman said.

As her friends joke and good naturedly interrupt our interview with wicked innuendo it’s easy to understand how laughter helped Mrs Pugliese mend.

Yet there is a serious side to this local seamstress.

Returning home after her cancer treatment she and the women she so proudly calls friends became determined to do what they could for other women battling breast cancer.

Of course they wanted to do it together, and they needed it to be fun, so they came up with an ‘Airing of the Quilts’ concept to be held in combination with the city’s annual Jumpers and Jazz Festival.

The concept combined their love of patchwork and sewing with a fundraising idea they were sure would work.

In July this year they launched their second Airing of the Quilts display and in doing so raised more than $9000.

Last week they handed the money over to the Toowoomba branch of the Breast Cancer Association of Queensland knowing the money would be used to support women living on the Darling Downs.

For Glenrose Patchwork co-ordinator Ros Robinson the ceremonious hand over represented a lot more than cash.

“Our first airing of the quilts in 2009 raised $3300, this year we raised more than double that,” Mrs Robinson said.

“It is just testament to how much people care about supporting breast cancer.

“The help we have received from the Warwick community and local businesses has been extraordinary.”

Breast Cancer Association’s Toowoomba spokeswoman Jayne Gentry agreed.

“This is a very generous donation for our organisation and we are incredibly appreciative,” she said.

“We give money to breast cancer sufferers for many reasons from helping pay electricity bills to letting someone buy a little extra at Christmas time.”

Ms Gentry said while the donations were made anonymously recipients were invariably touched by the gesture.

“This gift from Glenrose Patchworkers will make a huge difference to the lives of many women,” she said.