30/04/2019
💟🏍Townsville Hospital breast care nurses accepted a generous donation from the Ville Vixens Incorporated. motorcycle club this month to help women who have had breast surgery buy a new bra💟🏍
The donation of $1,500 of gift vouchers for Townsville bra and mastectomy fitting specialists Figgers will help relieve the burden on women who now need to buy new bras after their surgery.
Ville Vixens vice president Karen ‘Menace’ Holmes said the club’s main priorities were supporting people with breast and prostate cancer.
“One of our ladies in the club, Daph, works at the hospital in oncology and has a good idea of what ladies with breast cancer need and we thought the vouchers were a great idea,” she said.
“One of our ladies, Glenis 'Gidge’ Charleston, also went through breast cancer and will get the breast reconstruction so we rallied around her and this donation is just part of that.”
Breast care nurse Sandra Roberts said getting a properly fitted bra after a mastectomy could restore part of a woman’s self-identity.
“It has the ability to complete their journey,” she said.
“Even ordinary bras are very expensive and specialised bras for women who have had breast cancer are even more so as some of them have prosthetics as part of the bra which impacts the cost.
“At the end of the day, it is important that women get fitted properly even if they haven’t had a mastectomy and have had some other type of breast-conserving surgery because it is an important part of their journey to wellness.
“Any type of cancer can come at great cost and even though the public system looks after people, there is always the cost of medications, child care, time off
work, bras and things people don’t think of.
“It is because of this that we are so appreciative of this generous donation helping with part of these costs.”
Figgers bra stylist and mastectomy fitting specialist Rhiannon Tobias said she knew first-hand the impact the vouchers would have for thew omen receiving them.
“Every woman who comes in looking for a bra varies,” she said.
“Some are apprehensive, some women are surprised at how much the products look like normal bras as people think that once you start to put prosthetics into bras that they become bulky or heavy.
“Other women are further on in their journey and can laugh about the whole experience of finding the right bra for their body.
“But it’s important to start at the beginning and getting them familiar with the products and going from there.”
Rhiannon said she had a very personal reason for helping women with breast cancer.
“My mother and grandmother both had breast cancer so for me it is quite close to home,” she said.
“It is tragic to see a woman go through breast cancer and then outlay money for new bras.
“Nobody chooses to become unwell so it is great that the Ville Vixens are offering their support.”
Rhiannon said her role as a mastectomy fitting specialist was always rewarding.
“Sometimes fitting a woman can be a happy experience because they can choose the size they want to be and have the ultimate control,” she said.
“Only recently I had my first experience where a customer cried tears of joy after her fitting which was just amazing.
“She never believed that she would end up with a bra as great as she did and, for me, that is the reason I do my job."
