Woman crochets more than 100 baby blankets to thank hospital that saved her sight
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Across the pond in the UK, a woman is giving back in an unexpected—and crafty—way. Eliz Sandalls, who lives in West Yorkshire, has crocheted more than 100 baby blankets for Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) as a “thank you” for saving her eyesight some three years ago.
Sandalls had been registered blind in her right eye since 1987; but, in 2023, she underwent an operation at the hospital to save the sight in her left eye. “My daughter said [to the surgeon], ‘As long as she can see to knit, that is the main thing,’” Sandalls told the BBC in a recent interview. “I cannot see to read books and talking books tend to send me to sleep, but I am very active, I enjoy walking, and I like to crochet.”
Luckily, the surgery was a success. Though Sandalls’ vision is still somewhat limited, she nevertheless found herself able to crochet following the procedure. “I am forever grateful to the BRI and surgeon, Helen Devonport, for saving some of my sight,” she added. By 2025, Sandalls hoped to further extend her gratitude by handcrafting blankets for the hospital’s maternity unit. Many of the blankets bear vibrant colors and playful, geometric patterns, serving not just a practical purpose, but an emotional one as well.
“Knowing that we had [the blankets], it took a little bit of the stress away,” Tammy Millar told the BBC. She had given birth to triplets at BRI prematurely, at just 24 weeks, and her children were quickly taken to intensive care. In that moment, amid intense anxiety and fear, Sandalls’ blankets offered a homemade source of comfort. “It was really, really nice,” Millar explained. “It gets a bit lonely when you’re on the ward yourself and your kids are down in intensive care, so it was just nice to have that.”
Nimota Sowemimo echoed the sentiment: “This is something that is made with so much love,” she said. “It is really beautiful. For someone to sit down, put all of these beautiful colors together with so much love and care in their heart, and give it out for free, it is a very nice thing to do.”
After an operation at the UK-based Bradford Royal Infirmary saved her sight in her left eye, Eliz Sandalls crocheted over 100 baby blankets for their maternity unit as a thank you.
The woman making comfort blankets for Bradford’s babies
Eliz Sandalls crochets the blankets for Bradford Royal Infirmary where doctors helped save her sight. BBC #yorkshire #news https://t.co/46OH8HYHDM
— Leeds News (@LeedsNews3) May 10, 2026
Sources: The woman making comfort blankets for Bradford’s babies
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