| 
"Retail Therapy” Takes on a New
Meaning
The premise that one’s self-image positively
impacts the recuperative process isn’t a surprise to us — Look
Good…Feel Better is based on that very concept. However,
few people realize all that ways that cancer and its treatment
impact your life until they are smack in the middle of it.
In addition to the million other ways cancer treatment
changes your life, it may also render your current wardrobe inappropriate.
A woman suffering from lymphedema may want a blouse that fits properly
yet disguises her swollen arm; a woman undergoing treatment for
colon or ovarian cancer may need something that discreetly hides
a colostomy bag or other medical apparatus. Or perhaps a woman
can no longer lift her arms over her head after a mastectomy and
is in search of shirts that accommodate her.
Shop Well with You (SWY), a non-profit program launched
in June 2001, is here to help. SWY helps women with a history of
cancer improve their body image and quality of life by using clothing
as a means toward wellness. Through education, outreach, and personalized
services, SWY focuses on the woman, not the cancer, in order to
provide support and promote survivorship. All programs are offered
free of charge.
SWY was launched by Emily Spivack, who watched her
mother, a four-time cancer survivor, cope with her illness by dressing
in a manner that was both comfortable and stylish. “She didn’t
want to be reminded that she was sick and have people treat her
as if she was sick just from her exterior appearance. Feeling good
about her body-image helped her to maintain her dignity,” Spivack
says.
Christine Punter, one of SWY’s clients, shares
Spivack’s belief in the healing power of the right outfit. “You
may have cancer but you can still feel like a whole different person,” she
says.
Female cancer survivors take advantage of SWY’s
One-on-One Service by filling out a “resource request form” or
calling SWY directly for an in-depth interview to discuss their
specific needs. A specially-trained SWY consultant then compiles
a “resource packet” tailored to the client’s
size, financial resources, fashion sense, and medical condition.
The packet includes everything from lists of fabrics and styles
that work after various operations to store return policies. The
Web site (www.shopwellwithyou.org)
also provides a clothing guide including a cancer-specific clothing
directory, body-image articles and books, and related services.
If you live in the New York area, you can also attend a “Fashion
Your Own Sense of Self” group class. SWY programs are available
nationwide to any woman who has had cancer in the past or who is
currently in treatment.
Cancer is a life changing event, but there are many
organizations out there to help women restore their sense of self — and
that is something to make you feel better.
Feature
| More
Stories | Q&A
| Ask
Us
|
