Chester Freeman is a retired college and hospital chaplain. He is also a teddy bear artist whose creations are highly collectible. He travels and lectures on the therapeutic value of teddy bears. He is the author of a children’s book 

Pelican Publishing, 1993). He collaborated with the Children’s Theatre Department at East Carolina University(Greenville, NC) to turn his book into a full-scale production which premiered at ECU. Chester has received diagnoses for bladder cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. 

Chester Freeman

Chester Freeman was diagnosed with bladder cancer and most recently with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

There are many instances where teddy bears can be the key to opening hearts and minds during cancer care.

Here are some ways in which a teddy bear may help adult cancer patients:

Teddy bears remind us of childhood and evoke a feeling of nostalgia. Pleasant memories of the past can comfort us and give us a sense of familiarity. A newly diagnosed cancer patient feels a lot of fear and anxiety. Good memories of the past are embedded in the teddy bear and provide a patient with a sense of calm.

Teddy bears reduce anxiety. New cancer patients are in the process of learning about the type of cancer they have and what treatment options are available to them. This causes stress. The teddy bear can help to reduce that stress through the sense of touch. Just like petting a dog can lower your cortisol level, the same is true for embracing and holding a teddy bear. An encompassing energy is present in the teddy bear that the patient experiences.

There is a mystical aspect about teddy bears in that they provide unconditional love. They are symbols of love. When a cancer patient holds a teddy bear, they feel loved. They feel a soothing connection. This is the reason teddy bears help patients who are grieving the loss of their breasts, bladder, testicles or prostate gland.

Teddy bears help patients to improve their coping skills, and they provide a sense of support that is tangible. They foster a type of inner strength. When cancer patients are confronted with handling insurance matters, legal and financial issues, it can be overwhelming. Having to establish living wills and medical powers of attorney can be frightening. Teddy bears can help to make cancer patients feel safe and comfortable in expressing how they feel. In doing so, teddy bears can help to improve our mental health and well-being.

Teddy bears make us smile. When cancer patients hold a teddy bear, it may often bring a smile to their face. This is a spontaneous response. The brain releases neurotransmitters of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which help to improve the mood, reduce the heart rate, and even cause patients to relax. With so much going on in the mind of a cancer patient, this can cause them to stop and feel joy inside their body. And that joy radiates within them. When cancer patients are visited by loved ones and friends who care about them, that too, puts a smile on their face and that support helps to build resilience.

Overall, teddy bears are great healers. They can improve our motivations. The sense of touch provides support and help us to develop adaptability. Teddy bears can help to strengthen our faith and give us a great sense of security during the time when we’re diagnosed and when we’re beginning treatment. They provide hope throughout the treatment process, whether surgery, chemotherapy or radiation is involved. Teddy bears can help us to learn to accept ourselves as we are and support us when we’re losing our hair and grieving that loss.

There are three factors that a cancer patient may think about when they view a teddy bear. First, they are looking at the teddy bear’s facial expression. Next, they consider whether or not the teddy bear’s personality appeals to them. And finally, they decide if they like the color of the bear. When these factors coalesce in a cancer patient’s mind, a special internal connection takes place with the bear and this, for me, is where the mystical aspects complete that connection. There is an embracing energy. It’s something I can’t explain because it’s beyond words. The teddy bear is then able to help relieve the fear of a newly diagnosed patient having to go for a CT scan and PET scan. The teddy bear may accompany them and thus, may directly affect their attitude and ability to cope. There is an astonishing sense of protection. This is the power of a teddy bear.

When given to someone by family and friends or philanthropic organizations, teddy bears take on special meaning and significance. They can assist with removing doubt, fear, and uncertainty from a patient. They embody caregiving in their essence. When no one is around, the cancer patient still feels a heightened sense of presence, overflowing with love and support, embodied in the teddy bear. The patient is not alone, and they feel infinite compassion.

The Rotary Club of Easton, Pennsylvania, demonstrates this with their project called, “Valentine’s Day Teddy Bears for Oncology Patients.” They started giving out teddy bears on Valentine’s Day with a card that read: 

Roses are red, and violets are blue, to help you feel better, here’s a teddy bear for you.” This project has been going on for 24 years and the Rotary members have given out hundreds of bears. Initially, the focus of the project was on adult inpatient cancer patients receiving chemotherapy infusions. However, it became so popular that they are now giving bears to outpatients as well. Two years ago, they expanded their program to nearby hospitals that care for children with cancer as well as other medical concerns.

Oncology and Nursing Unit at Easton Hospital

In my opinion, this program validates how powerful teddy bears can be in the care of adult cancer patients, and it corroborates my clinical experiences. Regardless of the type of cancer a patient may have, a teddy bear is a great resource to help the patient on their cancer journey.

As adults, we all need support, and I think there’s no better way to gain that support than by having a teddy bear in our room. They make everyone smile! And they’re a great source of therapy for all of us!

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Articles

Teddy bears play a significant role in providing emotional support to adult cancer patients. They evoke nostalgia, reduce anxiety, and offer unconditional love, helping patients cope with the stress of diagnosis and treatment. The tactile comfort of a teddy bear can improve mood and mental well-being, fostering resilience and adaptability. Programs like the Rotary Club's "Valentine’s Day Teddy Bears for Oncology Patients" highlight their therapeutic value. Overall, teddy bears serve as a comforting presence, offering hope and security throughout the cancer journey.

The Healing Power of Teddy Bears for Adults With Cancer

Talking to a teddy bear can be therapeutic and revelatory. Sometimes, I would talk to the teddy bear, and the patient would respond. They might reveal things through the teddy bear that they wouldn’t tell their doctor.

With some patients, I was able to learn significant information about them, which was helpful to their doctor and attending nurses. It was as if the teddy bear was a conduit through which they could reveal their true feelings when they didn’t have the courage to tell their doctor or nurse the reality of their issues. I always found this very interesting. It was as if the teddy bear took us back to our childhood, when we told the teddy bear all our secrets.

I encouraged some cancer patients to listen to the silence within themselves, allowing it to renew their spirits and transform their minds and hearts. I have found this to be a deeply powerful act and to be most helpful for those patients who were able to do so.

I also had the bittersweet opportunity to offer my support and pray with some patients who made the difficult decision to end their cancer treatments. In talking with them, they revealed that they had made peace within themselves about their lives coming to an end. They preferred to die on their own terms and wanted to spend the time they had remaining at home with their families and friends. I stood with them during that difficult process.

It has taken many years for the teddy bear to be accepted as a therapeutic tool, but today it’s quite common, and adults who carry them are not looked down upon as weird or crazy.

That stigma lasted a long time, and it was teddy bear collectors who helped to change the attitudes in our society. Today, many police, firefighters, doctors, nurses, therapists, paramedics, hospice care workers, grief counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, priests, ministers, school counselors, social workers, first responders, and emergency medical technicians use teddy bears in crisis situations. It has become a common occurrence. But that wasn’t always the case. Organizations were founded to help to bring credibility to the teddy bear and to elevate its status. One such organization is Good Bears of the World.

This organization, based in Toledo, Ohio, was founded on the premise and ideal of “easing loneliness and inspiring love and compassion.” They believe that “teddy bears can and do make a difference” in the lives of people around the world. So, they give away teddy bears to children and others who would benefit from having them.

So, how do teddy bears specifically help patients on their cancer journey? I can speak from firsthand experience, both as a former chaplain and now as a cancer patient dealing with diabetes and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

I received my first teddy bear when I was six years old. I named him Timmy, after the young boy who appeared in the 1950s television show, “Lassie.” As an only child, I identified with Timmy’s character, and my teddy bear became my best friend because I spent a lot of time playing alone. Reflecting back on that time in psychological terms, the teddy bear was an object of solace for me. Now my roles are reversed from chaplain to patient. No longer am I comforting other patients. I am one!

As a hospital chaplain, I not only gave teddy bears to patients, but I actually made them. I found the process of hand sewing a bear to be therapeutic. It calmed me and took my mind off medical concerns. It was as if I entered into a state of contemplation or meditation whereby I could let go of negative thoughts, judgments, and fears. I became calm. Sewing by hand is a great stress reducer, but seeing the finished product and using it is even better! That brings joy to my heart and soul. It’s almost like watching a teddy bear come to life, which is something I discuss in my children’s book, Run Away Bear.

As a hospital chaplain, sometimes I handmade a teddy bear for a specific patient if I thought it would help calm their anxiety. In other cases, I may have given a teddy bear to a patient to be a support for them.

Earlier, I asked how teddy bears can specifically help cancer patients, and I shared my own personal experience. In a later article, I will share the answers I’ve gleaned from the experience I had while working as a chaplain in both hospital settings and with patients who had many types of cancer, such as bladder, prostate, breast, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lung, kidney, multiple myeloma, myelofibrosis, as well as endometrial cancer.

Teddy bears have emerged as therapeutic tools, aiding patients in expressing emotions they might not share with healthcare providers. They serve as conduits for revealing true feelings, reminiscent of childhood confidants. Encouraging patients to embrace silence can renew their spirits, while some find solace in deciding to end treatments on their terms. The acceptance of teddy bears in therapeutic settings has grown, supported by organizations like Good Bears of the World. The author, a former chaplain and current cancer patient, shares personal experiences of teddy bears providing comfort and reducing stress.

As a patient with CLL, I’ve found comfort in teddy bears — first as a chaplain offering solace, now as a patient embracing their quiet presence myself.

Finding Comfort in Teddy Bears Throughout My Experience With CLL

Chester Freeman was diagnosed with bladder cancer and most recently with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Read

I’m a former hospital chaplain, having worked at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, and Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut.

As I was making my rounds at Hartford Hospital one afternoon, I stopped at the nursing station to ask whether there were any patients I should make a special effort to see. All the nurses said there was one patient with whom they were all having problems. I asked for her room number and immediately went to see her.

I introduced myself as the Protestant hospital chaplain and told her I was there to serve as her advocate. I noticed that her hands were gripping her sheets very tightly around her neck, so I asked whether she was OK. The longer we talked, the more comfortable she began to feel with me. Then she gradually lowered her hands and revealed a teddy bear under the covers. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she said, “I’m 60 years old, and I thought the doctors and nurses would make fun of me for using a teddy bear for support.”

On that day, I didn’t have a teddy bear with me. Instead, I reached out to hold her hand. I assured her that no one on the hospital staff would belittle her for having a teddy bear. She was so relieved, and I could see the change in her face. The tension left her forehead, and a smile appeared on her face. Then I told her I normally carried a teddy bear with me, and she seemed even more content because she realized that I also valued teddy bears.

I told her it was okay to be an adult who carried a teddy bear and that there was no need for her to feel any shame. Then we had a heart-to-heart discussion, and that conversation changed her whole demeanor.

Afterward, when I went to talk with the staff at the nursing station, they were so pleased I could get through to her because none of them were able to do so. From that time on, she was one of the best patients on the floor. Everyone adored her teddy bear, and some even talked to him. After befriending this patient, the nursing staff nicknamed me “the teddy bear man.”

This is just one example of my many experiences with adults and teddy bears. There are many more stories to tell.

In my work as a chaplain, I was the person who comforted the cancer patients. I often sat in the waiting room with someone who was waiting for their radiation treatments to begin. I held a hand when someone was preparing to receive their chemotherapy treatment. When fear consumed an individual about their diagnosis, I offered a listening ear so they could express their fears. I would often lend my shoulder for a patient to cry on when things fell apart. I was there for the cancer patients and served as an advocate, working with the staff social workers of the hospitals. I also carried a tool, which was quite unusual at this time in the 1980s.

 on July 26, 1984, written by Rosemary Keogh, titled “Just the Bear Facts: A Cuddly Kid’s Toy Tames Adult Tension.” The author interviewed me for this article, and I gave her examples of when I used teddy bears to counsel adults and children. I described that when I counseled patients, a teddy bear could reduce anxiety, especially for patients going through traumatic hospital experiences.

A few years later, I published an article called “The Power of the Teddy Bear,” in the January/February 2000 issue of the leading teddy bear collectible magazine of the 1980s,  

. In the article, I asked the question: Why is the teddy bear so special? What is the power of this stuffed animal? My answer was very simple: The teddy bear is not just a toy. It’s an instrument of love. Its function is to comfort. Its strength is in the power of touch. Its power is truly mystical.

There’s no question that the teddy bear is a spiritual symbol as well. Through its universal appeal, it breaks through language barriers and cultural differences to bring people together. The teddy bear’s influence spans all ages, sexes and races. Everyone can benefit from owning one. In my work as a chaplain, I’ve seen the incredible power of the teddy bear to help both adults and children.

A former hospital chaplain shares experiences of using teddy bears as therapeutic tools to comfort and support patients, particularly those with cancer. The chaplain recounts a memorable encounter with a patient who found solace in a teddy bear, highlighting the bear's role in reducing anxiety and fostering emotional healing. The chaplain emphasizes the teddy bear's universal appeal and its ability to transcend cultural and language barriers, serving as a symbol of love and comfort. The teddy bear's mystical power lies in its capacity to provide emotional support across diverse demographics.

Teddy bears offer emotional comfort and connection for adults with cancer, easing anxiety and fostering trust during treatment.

Teddy Bears Are a Good Therapy for Adults With Cancer 

I love flowers! Anyone who knows me knows well that I love flowers. Nothing brightens my day more than a bouquet of daffodils! There’s just something about that bright yellow color with its orange corona center that delights me. I can be down in the dumps about my chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and if I have those flowers in my hands, all thoughts of cancer disappear. For me, they are the symbol of spring! They have also become a symbol for cancer charities. Go figure!

I’m an anthophile and a gardener. Several years ago, I planted one hundred daffodils on the side of our house and in several garden beds in the front and back yard. I planted two different types of daffodils, one yellow and the other white. As a resident of Upstate New York, I look forward with great anticipation to each spring when the daffodils bloom. There’s a simple reason for this: Every year for several months, I put up with long winters, freezing temperatures, overcast skies and “lake effect snow.” After a while, it gets to me. I feel depressed and I crave sunlight.

Bright beautiful yellow daffodils | Image of yellow daffodils | Image credit: Sergey Rybin - stock.adobe.com



Daffodils are so bright and cheery. To me, they manifest hope in their very existence. They make me feel inspired! And when I see them, they help me to believe that things can get better. Isn’t it amazing that a flower has that capacity! Yay, “Flower Power!” Do you remember the poet, Allen Ginsberg, from the 1960s? He was responsible for coining that term, and I think we can use some of his petal talk again! It’s time for more “Flower Power!”

Many years ago, all the daffodils I planted began to blossom, and it was an amazing sight to behold. Then just as more buds were opening, I heard a weather report that alarmed me. Suddenly, out of the blue, we had a forecast for snow. I couldn’t believe it! This was the merry month of May! I thought to myself: “What happened to ‘April showers bring May flowers and June bugs,’ not snow!”

I heard the weather report late in the afternoon. As soon as I realized what was happening, I grabbed a pair of scissors, quickly filled some buckets with water, and rushed outside to cut as many flowers as I could.

The snow had already started. Just picture me, running around the yard like a jackrabbit, as the snow was lightly falling. I made it just in time as the snowfall gradually became heavier. My hair, as well as my clothes, were covered with snow. I looked like Frosty, the Snowman! When I entered the house, I shook off the snow like a wet dog! But then, the fragrance began to spread throughout the house, and our home was alive with the burst of color. I was overwhelmed and euphoric!

I made sure I purchased daffodils that were fragrant because they made the house smell so nice. I went to my cupboard and grabbed a bunch of vases to make flower arrangements for every room. It was like having the “Philadelphia Flower Show” inside my house! There were flowers everywhere! It was crazy and I loved it!

This brings to mind how my blood work goes up and down like my childhood seesaw. Sometimes I feel okay and everything looks good, and suddenly, I’m tired and need to lie down to rest. Just like that snowstorm that crept up on me, so too does the blood chemistry shift in my body. I refer to it as having “blood storms.”

Having cancer has taught me a lot about life and how I should live in the world. It has taught me to practice patience. I have to admit, while there’s always room for improvement, I think I’ve become pretty good at it!

It has taught me to let go of the things that hold me back and to forgive wholeheartedly. I’m still working on that one! I’ve got more forgiveness to process in my heart.

It’s taught me to give up complaining and to focus on gratitude. This is becoming a daily ritual now. I’m getting better at it!

It has taught me to live in the moment. This is definitely easier said than done, but I’m working on it. I’ve not quite mastered that yet.

Most importantly, it’s taught me to enjoy the beauty around me and to “smell the roses.” In addition to roses, I also take time to smell the aromatic Asiatic lilies in my backyard as well as the fragrant daffodils scattered throughout the yard!

I like how the Gospel of Matthew refers to flowers, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Those verses (Matthew 6:28-29) speak to me in a profound spiritual way, and they reassure me that my “mustard seed” faith will support me through this cancer journey.

Recently, I had to go back on chemotherapy. It wasn’t easy. It rattled me. There was a lot of uncertainty and fear in my mind. I had to become comfortable with those feelings and the “blood storm” brewing inside of me. However, I completed my chemo rounds. The chemicals helped me, and the internal storm winds were again calmed.

Presently, I have another issue to deal with. I need to get my blood glucose level under control. Yet, with all this, I continue to remain hopeful and positive. It’s funny how a season can have such a profound effect on my attitude. But it does! Spring always lifts my spirits and makes me feel I’m able to do better. It gives me a new start, a boost. It’s similar to “The Little Engine that Could.” I think I can, I think I can. And I identify with the buds as I watch the flowers bloom, hoping that I too will blossom into better health.

Observing how the daffodils grow, as well as the lilies, seems to give me courage to soldier on. I’m looking forward to the scent of the hyacinths and the elegance of the verdant Lenten roses. They help me to feel that I’ll be able to make it through this! I’ve just got to hold on for the “blossom” within me to appear!

The narrative reflects on the emotional and symbolic significance of flowers, particularly daffodils, in the life of someone living with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The author finds solace and inspiration in the vibrant blooms, which symbolize hope and renewal amidst the challenges of cancer. The story intertwines personal experiences with the changing seasons, highlighting the lessons learned from living with cancer, such as patience, gratitude, and living in the moment. The author draws strength from nature's beauty, using it as a metaphor for resilience and personal growth.

Each spring, I find strength and hope in the daffodils I grow, helping me face chronic lymphocytic leukemia with renewed determination.

Chester Freeman

The Healing Power of Teddy Bears for Adults With Cancer

Finding Comfort in Teddy Bears Throughout My Experience With CLL

Teddy Bears Are a Good Therapy for Adults With Cancer

Daffodils and Determination from a Patient with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

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