Soft Touch Ministry

The “Pillow Ministry,” as some call it, helps pastoral care volunteers connect with patients and provides a little comfort to hurting people. These simple items such as pillows, lap robes, wheelchair bags, and other specialty items made by Lifeline volunteers have blessed patients for more than 35 years.

Marie Banister’s Legacy

Marie became known as “The Pillow Lady” after she started bringing small, handmade pillows to the children in the children’s ward at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. This ministry, during her exemplary life and for years after her passing, has inspired hundreds of Lifeline volunteers to sew and distribute thousands of pillows, lap robes, cancer caps, wheelchair bags, and many other specialty items to hospital patients.

In 1995, Marie received the National Caring Award for her selfless contributions to others from the National Caring Institute in Washington, DC. At the ceremony, she was joined by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, and eight other humanitarians as recipients of the award. A plaque at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center honors Marie Banister for more than 15,000 hours of volunteer service. Marie’s quiet, uncompromising spirit of serving hospital patients sets our high standard of quality pastoral care within the hospitals we serve.