Among the many special quilts that will be on display at the Yamboree Quilt Show will be one with a significant message: Flu can kill, and you need to take precautions every year to protect against it.

Young mother Nichole Chandler is displaying a quilt in memory of her son Chance, who died Feb. 15, 2010, possibly from H1N1, commonly called the Swine Flu.

“He became sick late on a Saturday, and died on Monday,” she related as she previewed the quilt at The Mirror office on Monday.

This was in spite of receiving medical care from early in the episode, and taking prescribed medication and treatment.

“I just couldn’t get rid of or give away Chance’s clothing,” said Ms. Chandler, “it was just too hard.”

Her mother, Betty Shipley of Gilmer, had never quilted before, but took the clothes and cut squares and made them into a quilt. In between the squares from the clothes are interspersed pictures of Chance, a happy child.

Ms. Chandler said that they only learned about the organization, Families Fighting Flu, after Chance’s death, and will provide information at the Quilt Show to anyone interested about steps to take to prevent coming down with the flu, which is especially dangerous to the very young and very old.

For those who can take vaccinations, an annual flu shot is considered the best preventative. (Some people, such as those who have ever had Guillain-Barre Syndrome [GBS-a polio-like nerve disease] or Multiple Sclerosis can’t take a shot—it could cause death or paralysis.)

“At first, we just wanted to enter the quilt in the show,” Ms. Chandler said. “But then, we decided to use it to spread flu awareness.”

While at the Yamboree Quilt Show, which will be at the Gilmer First United Methodist Church fellowship hall at the intersection of Montgomery and Buffalo Sts., just west of downtown, take time to view this extraordinary quilt and visit with Ms. Chandler.

She will be assisted by Caitlin Chandler, Chance’s older sister.

Ms. Chandler hopes that sharing this information, through the special quilt and this article, may save others the grief which she and the rest of Chance’s family have endured.