Recovering in style

~ New store in Cape Girardeau offers clothing for breast cancer survivors.

Area breast cancer survivors now have a place to buy lingerie and swimwear that affirm their femininity at a time when they feel less than feminine.

The Mastectomy Boutique opened Feb. 27 at 60 Doctors' Park. It is a branch of Home Medical Supply and is owned by Steve Caldwell, according to Joane Whitledge of Fruitland, one of two certified mastectomy fitters who work there. Jeanna Weatherby of East Cape Girardeau, Ill., is a fitter and a wig stylist.

The boutique sells breast forms, bras and camisoles for the mastectomy patient. In addition, there is a line of swimwear, wigs for patients on chemo, and coming soon will be a selection of nightgowns. Since Whitledge and Weatherby are both certified fitters, they work with patients to make sure that immediately following surgery, the patient is cared for and comfortable.

"We try to keep it as feminine as possible," Whitledge said.

Both fitters have worked with cancer patients at both local hospitals, providing first the soft camisoles women are given when they're discharged from the hospital following a mastectomy. Before they opened the store, they would give each mastectomy patient a soft cotton camisole edged with delicate white crochet work at the neckline. The camisoles have pockets inside for both a cloth breast form and for plastic bags to accommodate post-surgical drainage, and are soft and comforting against the skin.

"Years ago it used to be hospitals would just send ladies home and tell them to buy a man's T shirt, cut it and Velcro it," Whitledge said.

Eventually someone improved on that advice and designed a bra to wear during those first six to eight weeks, but "it looked medical and that's what it was," Whitledge said. "Our goal is to help them feel comfortable, and yet it is pretty."

As the patient heals, she is able to move into different styles of lingerie designed to accommodate the breast form and her natural breast. The Mastectomy Boutique is the only store between St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn., Whitledge said, that offers lingerie that looks like it came from an upscale department store -- in colors, some with underwires, loaded with lace and embroidery. Some have matching panties. Sports bras are also available.

The store also has swimwear with pockets to accommodate a breast form. Only the wearer knows that the suit is designed for a mastectomy patient. Styles range from one-piece suits, with or without a skirt, to tankinis, in sizes from 6 to 22. Water aerobics is a popular physical therapy among mastectomy patients; they want a pretty suit to wear while doing them.

After the first six to eight weeks following surgery, doctors will usually write a prescription for a breast form which the Mastectomy Boutique can provide. Whitledge said she has a variety of forms designed to match a patient's size, shape, weight and skin color. As she gains or loses weight, the patient can come back and be refitted so she always looks and feels natural.

As she becomes accustomed to the new form, the patient also looks for lingerie.

"The ladies come back to us because they want the pretty things," Whitledge said. "In some instances if we don't have what they want or need, we will get it and send it to them.

As patients go through chemotherapy and begin losing their hair, Weatherby is on hand to fit them with a natural-looking wig. Some places offer donated wigs to chemo patients, she said, but aren't always able to style them and trim them for a custom fit. Weatherby is a licensed stylist and will trim a purchased or donated wig.

Along with losing a breast, losing her hair can be depressing and demoralizing for a woman, Weatherby said. She not only loses the hair on her head, but her eyelashes and eyebrows, too. False eyelashes and stick-on eyebrows are available through the store.

Also available are solutions to wash the lingerie and forms, and creams and powders to soothe chafing skin.

Whitledge said the store's first customer came in the day it opened for business. Business is steady and will soon warrant expanding the merchandise and adding a fitting room. She said that as she visits doctors offices to market the store, response has been encouraging.

"It's amazing to me," she said. "Every office I walked into, the ladies at the front desk would say ' my mother...' 'my aunt....' one lady said her mother and sister were survivors."

Later in the summer, Whitledge said the store will begin offering more styles of lingerie and swimsuits and will add a line of nightgowns. She also wants to offer jewelry, bumper stickers and other items to raise money for breast cancer research and to offer a quiet, attractive place for breast cancer support groups to meet.

"So much has been taken away from these ladies," she said. "We're trying to give them back something to make them feel whole again."

Breast forms and bras are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance. For women without insurance, Whitledge said the Mastectomy Boutique can help them through some private donations. The boutique is open Monday through Friday. Afternoons are reserved for breast cancer survivors by appointment only. The general public is welcome between 9 a.m and noon.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160