Founded Knitted Knockers, a groundbreaking charity providing handmade prosthetics to breast cancer patients, along with mental health and wellbeing support.

Joanne Harris is the founder and driving force behind Knitted Knockers of Northern Ireland, a volunteer-led charity providing hand-knitted breast prosthetics to women who have undergone mastectomy surgery.

Joanne, from County Down, was inspired in 2016 when a close friend, Linda Ferguson, who was fighting breast cancer, shared the challenges of living with traditional silicone prostheses, which were heavy, uncomfortable, and impractical for everyday wear.

Wishing to find a better solution for her friend, Joanne discovered the Knitted Knockers movement in the United States, which offered lightweight, 100% cotton alternatives made by volunteers.

Determined to bring something similar to her home country, she launched Knitted Knockers of Northern Ireland in July 2016.

Under Joanne’s leadership, the group has grown from a small circle of knitters into a network of more than 74 volunteers, who together craft 5,000 soft, breathable breast prosthetics provided to cancer and mastectomy patients free of charge, annually.

Supplied to hospitals, breast care clinics, and individual women across Northern Ireland, the charity also produces waterproof “swimming knockers,” post-surgery comfort kits, and drain bag covers, offering both physical and emotional comfort to women during recovery.

KKNI connects with the whole community through workshops, teaching traditional skills of knitting, crocheting and sewing, and works closely with breast care clinics throughout Northern Ireland.

In 2017 Joanne established “The Clubhouse” – a mental health and well-being initiative to establish creative and social programmes to help support breast cancer survivors – with a second venue planned. She says: “This is women helping women.”