WITH a background in fashion, Emma Wilson (54) now lends her skills to transforming how cancer patients view their appearance after the traumatic upheaval of surgeries.
As a bra-fitting coordinator for Cancer Focus NI, the queues were lining up for advice at her stall in Belfast over the weekend.
Speaking to the Irish News, she describes her job as like dealing in joy - helping to ease a considerable mental load many breast cancer patients face after treatment.
“It’s quite a unique service that was established in 1993, that’s bra-fitting for ladies who’ve had cancer treatment and surgery,” she said.
“We make sure that beautiful bras are accessed by ladies who want a specialist bra. The only difference is they are lined, meaning a prothesis can be popped into it if you’ve had a mastectomy or bilateral surgery, which is both breasts removed.”
She said this could also apply to women that have a lumpectomy, which could in some cases involve the removal of up three-quarters of breast tissue.
“So equally, they need a specialist bra to just regain their confidence. Another thing is that reconstructive surgery after treatment may not always work out the way a lady wanted.
“So the bras we do are beautiful, really stunning items, everything from something lacy to a sports bra.”
Far from being an afterthought, she said the service goes a long way to reducing anxiety and stress.
“The societal pressure for women to look gorgeous is huge. So take that into consideration when someone is told they have breast cancer and they’re going to need surgery.
“The shock that you have cancer is one thing, but then the fact that it’s going to have a huge impact on your physical self.
“The confidence just gets eradicated, ladies are just devastated that they are so altered. It’s very difficult to even put on the clothes they used to wear.
“What we aim to do is to make sure we build that back up, and to say ‘this is going to be ok, you can still wear a pretty, feminine bra. You can look your best self.”
She said many women using the service have even felt unable to look at their scars.
“My job is to make sure they have the confidence to feel good about themselves again and like what they see in the mirror and that they are beautiful and strong.
“I always say it’s not a job for me. I’ve been in the fashion industry my entire life and I have joined Cancer Focus, it is the best job I’ve ever done.
“I see a lot of tears of pain, but at the end of it I see tears of joy. It is just a transformative process.
“It’s also about feeling sexy again, that’s really important. So seeing that celebration of women who have just gone through this, their family and children here supporting them. It’s an absolute honour.”
