I'm sorry for your friend. Perhaps together you could find a way to make it possible for her to still quilt.
I'm thinking you could cut and match up squares or half square triangles that she could sew by hand, using touch to keep to a straight seam line. If you threaded a set of needles for her and had them layed out in a pin cushion. Or got her the needles that the thread snaps into the eye so she could thread them herself. Not nearly as satisfying as what she used to do but perhaps better than nothing.
Just something to think about.