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Green Valley grandma makes a difference stitch by stitch

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Posted 7:14 AM 6/7/2012 : Green Valley grandma making a difference stitch by stitch

GREEN VALLEY, Ariz.- A grandmother in Green Valley is using a popular past time to help people with a neuro-genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome. 

Everyday in the same spot in her Green Valley home, Lois Schwartz, also a romance and mystery author who goes by the name Lois Carroll, sits with her needles and thread, on a mission. 

Her six-year-old granddaughter Sophie, who lives in New Jersey, has Angelman Syndrome. It's a disease that impairs mental growth and is often characterized by frequent laughter. 

"She has no speech ability, she has very little muscle tone, she cannot feed herself," Lois says.

When Sophie grew out of a baby size bib, she started sewing, what she calls, Sophie's Smocks. "If a person has Angelman Syndrome, they have it all their lives and they have the same life expectancy as you and I," Lois says.

The smocks come in all different colors. "When I buy shirts I try to pick out the brightest colors," Lois says.

They also come in all different sizes, from toddler to adult extra large.

Since Lois started making the smocks a year and a half ago, she has given away more than 300.  "I've mailed them as far as Australia and New Zealand and all over Europe," Lois says. 

She does it all at her own expense, with a little help from friends who donate the turtlenecks Lois uses to make the smocks. 

She doesn't expect anything in return. "The last thing I would call myself is an angel though," Lois says.

She's just doing all she can for her little angel and so many others.

If you'd like a Sophie's Smock just email Lois at smocks@cox.net. They are free, but donations are accepted.

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