When most people think of lingerie, it invokes a sensual feeling. Imagine painting a picture of the perfect three-piece set; an all lace balconette bra, a slick black thong, and a garter belt that finishes off the look with a great pair of stay ups. Now imagine being told that one day, you walk into your doctor’s office and after a routine checkup, you are told that you have breast cancer. The first thing you think about is not that sexy set. You enter a world of fear, wondering if you will survive what seems like a death sentence.
There are many different treatments for breast cancer. Surgery is a common treatment as the goal is to remove as much of the cancer as possible before it spreads. Two surgeries to treat breast cancer include a lumpectomy, which is removing the lump found when detecting breast cancer, or a mastectomy, which removes the entire breast tissue. Lumpectomy is used to conserve the breast tissue. Unfortunately, if the cancer has been undetected for too long, mastectomy is the only option. If the cancer has spread to both breasts, the patient must undergo double mastectomy, the removal of both breasts.
My family has been affected by breast cancer as it has touched my aunt, who had to have a double mastectomy. I have always supported family and been informed about the possibility of the diagnosis. It never occurred to me how greatly these procedures affected not only the physical side of shopping for lingerie, but the emotional journey that women touched by breast cancer endure while they put their life back together.
Last Saturday, I had taken on a fitting with a client who told me before I fit her that she had breast reconstruction surgery because of her lumpectomy. I never fit a client before that had only had one full breast for me to fit for. I was very careful not to offend her but she was very open and helped me greatly by letting me know what she liked in bras and what she was comfortable wearing. Once I knew what she was looking for, we found some amazing everyday pieces but then I brought her some sexy and fun bras. She was so excited! At the end of the appointment, she left with a few basic bras but mostly embellished and intricate undergarments.
It was so rewarding for me to have been a part of changing the narrative of what my client thought her experience would be at a lingerie shop. I learn something new every time I come out of a fit appointment but after my client hugged me and thanked me for helping her feel sexy again, I felt like a different person. I took so much from this experience and I am so thankful for her.
I thought I wanted to wait to write this article until October for Breast Cancer Awareness month but this encounter made me want to share with you soon. Although this article is about my lingerie fitting experience, I want to make sure you are all aware of the seriousness of a breast cancer diagnosis. Please make sure you are routinely checking yourself for lumps. It only takes a few minutes. Early detection can make all the difference in treatment.
Keep an eye out for my next entry in the lingerie insiders series! Send us emails or messages on social media for any other lingerie topics that you want to know about. As always, it’s a pleasure helping you all.