CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Laura Lanter says about five years ago she lost most movement in her legs after suffering damage to her cerebellum.

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“I just felt like there was no purpose in my life,” Laura Lanter said. “I wasn’t able to contribute anything, I was just using up oxygen and medicine.”

Recently though, she has found a new purpose. She learned how to sew as a child and saw the group CLTgivePPE was looking for volunteers to make surgical gowns for healthcare workers.

“I said, oh, I know how to do that.,” Lanter said.

Lanter contacted Tracey Ratte, who is organizing the sewers in CLTgivePPE. Ratte said the group has partnered with Atrium and Novant Health in Charlotte to make sure the gowns are up to standard.

“They approved it and made some tweaks, and then we had a pattern,” Ratte said.

On Monday, Ratte and Lanter got to work.

“She got out of her wheelchair and she scooted along the floor, and I gave her some yoga blankets to scoot around on,” Ratte said.

The two of them spread out hundreds of yards of fabric to make 65 gowns. Lanter said she was extremely proud of the work she did because she knows it could make a difference for many healthcare workers on the frontlines.

“This matters, it matters a lot and it is meaningful to people’s lives,” Lanter said.

It was meaningful to not just the healthcare workers, but also to Laura Lanter who now has a sense of pride and fulfillment.

“Wow, bigger than I could have imagined,” Lanter said.

The group CLT-give-PPE is still looking for volunteers to help sew. For more information click here.