ANDERSON — More than 25 Community Hospital Anderson staffers and associates sewed and hemmed one recent afternoon to help breast cancer patients who have lost hair due to chemotherapy.

The crew made turbans to be distributed free to cancer patients.

“I’ve worked 35 years, and we’ve never done anything like this,” said Julie James, a nurse in the surgery department at Community. “This is something we can do together and we’ll probably continue to do it.”

Every year, staffers assist needy families at Christmas. Daily, staffers get to talk to patients before surgery, but the discussion is short. They often didn’t hear anything further about the patient.

The turban project seemed like a way to keep in touch personally with patients, James said.

The idea developed from a visit James made to her father-in-law at a nursing home. Another resident had cancer and lost her hair. The father-in-law suggested getting her a bandana.

James took the project a step farther and helped organize the sewing party. Besides distribution through the hospital, some staffers said they planned to take some turbans to the American Cancer Society.