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Leather pencil cases with a heart: support the Children's Cancer Fund. 07/05/2025
Leather Pencil Cases for the Children's Cancer Fund
Sometimes, something big starts with something small. Patries Jeunen sent an email to the Moroccan leatherworkers at Crescendo CVO asking if they could spare leftover leather pieces—small scraps, just big enough to make leather pencil cases. What began as a simple request grew into a meaningful encounter with a heartwarming project.
A Great Need
Pencil cases? “Yes, but not just as a hobby project,” says Patries Jeunen. “The goal is to raise money for the Children's Cancer Fund in Leuven. Donations are truly vital for the Fund. There is so much research needed, especially for rare cancers. The need is huge, and one-third of income must come from donations. That’s why it’s so important that people support initiatives like this.”
A Family Project with Heart
Making the pencil cases became a family project and a way to give back. All proceeds go to the Children's Cancer Fund in Leuven, where Patries’ son was treated last year. He has since gotten back on track. Through their hospital experiences, Patries and her mother learned about a world they would rather not have known—but it motivated them even more to take action.
The leather pencil cases aren’t a random choice. Her parents and family worked for years in sofa factories and leather companies in Limburg. What was once pure professional skill later became a hobby: making handbags, working leather, cutting scraps. Even her father, who has Alzheimer’s, helps by cutting small pieces of leather.
Helping Others
“We wanted to turn our experience into something constructive that helps others,” says Patries. Around the kitchen table, surrounded by leather and patterns, a new batch is made each week: handmade pieces, each with its own story. The pencil cases (€15), smaller pouches (€10), and wallets (€7) are quickly snapped up. “We’ve already raised about €2,500 since early 2025,” she explains. “My mother has made more than 300 pieces already.”
Want to Help?
The products are available at Wolstory in Mechelen, a cozy yarn shop with a real community. Soon, they will also be available at Crèma on the Vismarkt and De Peerle in the Varkensstraat. “We also regularly participate in flea markets and Christmas markets,” adds Patries. “With each pencil case sold, we get one step closer to better treatments for children with cancer.”
Prefer to Donate Directly?
Using the QR code below, you can easily make a donation to the Children's Cancer Fund. This helps support more research, better treatments, and, above all, hope.
