Meet a Health Hero: Katelynn Devinney of Pockets of Hope

Life as Springfield resident Katelynn Devinney knew it was normal, albeit a bit busy, working as a full-time senior paralegal and parenting her four kids.

But everything changed when her mom, Trish, was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent radiation in 2016. The treatment worked, until Trish’s doctor found a lump and discovered her cancer had returned, five years later. Trish’s only treatment option was a mastectomy, which she underwent in January of 2022 at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

Devinney and her mom were unfamiliar with what recovery would look like, or what kinds of support could help. Somewhat serendipitously, a small clothing shop based in Springfield Township, B.Rose, was selling pink football sweatshirts, and with every purchase, the owner, Betsy Rose, would donate a sweatshirt that Rose’s mother, who also had breast cancer, would sew pockets inside of. The sweatshirts were then donated to local hospitals for mastectomy patients — the interior pockets were perfect for holding drainage tubes that are put into place after surgery.

“I bought one, not really understanding what the interior pockets were for at the time,” Devinney says. “When I visited my mom after her surgery, she was wearing the sweatshirt. ‘I didn’t even know I would need it, but thank God I have it,’ she had said. The surgical drainage tubes were so uncomfortable against her skin, and the pocket on the inside helped provide some relief.”

“My mom asked for another sweatshirt, and I figured I could probably make one myself,” Devinney adds. “I had taken a sewing class in high school, and my mom bought me a sewing machine because she thought I liked it that much.”

Devinney (left) with her mom, Trish / Photograph courtesy of Katelynn Devinney

So, Devinney bought a cheap zip-up sweatshirt and some fabric, dusted off her machine, sewed an interior pocket, and created her first mastectomy sweatshirt. “That sweatshirt still hangs in my office,” Devinney says.

A simple decision and a quick apparel addition quickly became a bigger mission known as Pockets of Hope, Devinney’s nonprofit that provides zip-up sweatshirts with sewn-in interior pockets that hold post-mastectomy drainage tubes, at no charge for those who need them.

Since launching in 2022, Pockets of Hope has donated 19,883 sweatshirts to women all over the world. (The organization also includes lanyards in care packages — they help hold drainage tubes while someone is showering.)

Getting to this point has been a team effort, Devinney says. Her two right-hand women are Lori Rogers (Devinney’s realtor) and Kiersten Lopez, who attended the same high school as Devinney. Both reached out during the first months of Devinney’s grassroots effort to (literally) lend a hand. They’ve been sewing ever since.

“We also are so lucky to be supported by a group of local women — we call them our sewing angels — who pick up the sweatshirts and fabric from my house and then drop them back off with pockets on the inside,” Devinney says. “And then there’s the everyday people across the country who use the template on our website to create the interior pocket with leftover fabric, and ship the creation to us.”

Perhaps most impactful is Pockets of Hope’s monthly volunteer events, where upwards of 50 people come out to sew and help fulfill orders — for people they might never meet.

“I have been volunteering with Pockets of Hope since receiving one of their drain-holding sweatshirts after my double mastectomy in 2024,” says Jessica Getson, who attended her first volunteer event while still recovering from surgery, her drainage tubes still in and wearing her Pockets of Hope-provided sweatshirt. “The sweatshirt made an incredible difference, providing both comfort and practical support during a very difficult surgical recovery. Now, I attend their monthly volunteer events, where we sew and send these sweatshirts in care packages to women undergoing mastectomies around the world. The work is deeply meaningful and inspiring, and volunteering with Pockets of Hope is a small way for me to express my gratitude for the impact they have on so many lives.”

Every month, volunteers gather to help sew interior sweatshirt pockets for Pockets of Hope. / Photograph courtesy of Katelynn Devinney

That impact hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last year, Devinney won the Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge, presented by Independence Blue Cross, which recognizes and honors those in our region who are committed to making a difference in people’s health and wellness.

Nominations are open for the 2026 awards. Submit someone today!

Being named the 2025 Health Hero was “absolutely incredible,” Devinney says. “Pockets of Hope is like my fifth child. Our team puts so much into it, even though nearly everyone who is involved has full-time jobs and kids.”

The $15,000 donation Pockets of Hope received as part of the honor helped complete a round of orders. According to Devinney, manufacturing costs have been a major strain — placing an order costs $11,000, and shipping costs another $11,000 — and so, winning the Health Hero Challenge “allowed us to get that next big batch of sweatshirts shipped to us so we could continue sewing in pockets,” she says.

Looking ahead, Devinney hopes to ease the financial burden of manufacturing and partner with companies — Philly-based or beyond — that believe in the mission of Pockets of Hope and can help get as many sweatshirts as possible to people who need them.

Four years later, Devinney’s mom, Trish, is doing great — she’s cancer-free — and Devinney herself continues to be inspired by the women she’s met and heard from (via letters and emails), and the women who continue to show up for one another, even miles and miles away.

“What started as one of the hardest moments for our family became the reason Pockets of Hope exists today,” Devinney recalls. “Watching my mom go through surgery and recovery opened my eyes to how much comfort and support matter during the darkest days. It’s so much bigger than a sweatshirt — every one we send is a reminder to another woman that she’s not alone, which is exactly how my mom felt when someone gave one to her.”

Katelynn Devinney was the winner of the 2025 Be Well Philly Health Hero Challenge presented by Independence Blue Cross. The award recognizes the nonprofit leaders, medical professionals, frontline health workers, nonprofit leaders, teachers, coaches, entrepreneurs, and community activists who are making a positive impact on health and wellness through caregiving in our community.

Each year, the public nominates the Health Heroes who inspire them the most and vote to select a winner who receives a $15,000 donation to the charity of their choice. Two runners-up each receive a $2,500 donation to the charity of their choice. You can nominate (or nominate yourself!) a 2026 Health Hero here.