Mastectomy bra's......Next....and life

Public Archive
1

Hiya girls

I just wanted the chance to add on here something positive that a store is doing in view of all the bad press recently regarding ASDA.

I have had a bit of a bee in my bonnet for a while now concerning the difficult I have found in purchasing decent mastectomy bras.
Due to my home town not offering them for sale at all (and yes I’m also considering opening a shop…) I have to buy mine on line, which of course then gives issues of sizing. Either that or spend an hour and an half getting to the nearest large town to buy one.

I noticed that very few chain stores offer a decent mastectomy range (interesting how few Asda sell despite their BC campaigning!). In view of this I have been writing poetry and mailing the stores with my views on this issue. So far I’m sad to say some do not respond at all and some do not give the impression they are very intested in a ‘minority’ viewpoint. However Next have been fantastic and so far have responded in a very positive manner.

They are looking into providing bras at some point in the future online and hopefully in their stores too, so well done to one company for listening to its customers, no matter how small a minority we make up.

In case you want to see it, here is my Next poem :slight_smile:

Ode to an errant clothes buyer

I was checking through your website,
As I have a need to buy,
Some items for my wardrobe,
And I thought give Next a try.

I have a problem with my dog,
He likes to rip and tear,
And has a funny preference,
For my natty underwear!

So I opened up your section,
There was lingerie to spare,
A very large selection,
Of knicks and bras to wear.

There were bras of many colours,
And types with padded bits,
Some to help contain them,
Or to help us raise the ****

With glee I searched the sections,
It was fun to browse and play,
But all too soon I realised,
Too my shock and my dismay!

Although there were some pretty ones,
You are quite a bit lacking,
In a certain bra department,
For those of us not packing!

For I’ve had an operation,
And I feature one not two,
I hope you get my meaning,
Oh if not here is a clue…

After a fight with cancer,
They removed a part of me,
So I need a special kind of bra,
Ah you get it now I see!

Yes a bra with extra sections,
So Next please have a care,
Explain to this cancer vixen,
Why no mastectomy underwear?

I thank you for your time today,
I just though this worth a mention,
Please consider now this kind request,
And give it your attention.

Please write to me at this address,
And explain your very reason,
For not including one-boob types,
In your collection this season!

PS hope this does not offend anyone, I just feel that having a sense of humour sometimes can help get your point across when dealing with big companies

Cancer Vixen

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well done you Niki, very impressive, a very clever way to get the message across.

love

Carol xx

3

Hi

I’ve followed this site for a year now since diagnosis, but never posted. This made me laugh so much, I’ve finally registered! Well done, you’re right a bit of humour goes a long way

Deb x

4

Fabulous,thats brilliant,what a great way to get attention.
I do find it a bit galling that stores sell pink frilly merchandise most of which is totally unsuitable for BC patients.
I had a recon ,but still struggle to find pretty padded but non-wired bras.
Lets hope they ask advice from real patients as to what is required.
Well done
Love
Dot
xxx

5

Excellent. I am sure the stores appreciate a bit of humour - the staff are only human after all!

When I was looking for my first mastectomy bra I found there was a very limited range in stores. In some stores they were hidden away as if they were something to be ashamed of. My bcn recommended two specialist places to go which were excellent. They found the right size and style for me and put the pockets in but both places were miles away and very difficult to get to without a car.

Asda did have some cheap post surgery bras which were excellent for wearing with my softie for the first six weeks after surgery. They couldn’t cope with my proper breast form though because it was too heavy.

Keep up the good work and let us know if you get any replies from any stores.

Love
Maude xx

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And they say there’s nothing funny about breast cancer. :-)I think you just disproved that theory. I think it’s essential for us to maintain a sense of humour otherwise we would all be dragged down. Thanks for lightening my day and well done for following through your idea with action.

I have the same problems finding suitable bras. I am a small person who had big breasts and now has only one big breast. When I had two I could at least rely on Bravissimo but sadly they don’t do a mastectomy range. I have only found 1 manufacturer who makes mastectomy bras in my size (32FF) and discovered that they have a very good range, some of which are also suitable for wearing during radiotherapy. The company is called Royce and they sell direct to the public online as well as to retailers. They have good sizing guidelines too. I hope some of you will find this useful.

Jan

7

Hi, great poem, really made me laugh…

I too emailed and wrote to Next, and La Senza last year about the very same thing - I have never ever had a reply.

I find it amazing that considering 1 in 9 women is diagnosed with breast cancer that we have so little choice of mastectomy bras on the market. Another observation I had is that Debenhams, M and S etc don’t stock matching pants for their mastectomy bras. Why not? I still like to feel nice after a mastectomy!!!

Online companies are fine, very expensive and a complete pain for trying to get the right size without ferrying it back and forth to post office!

All very frustrating!

Heidi xx

8

Niki soooooooo good
Heidi maybe you should write directy to Theo (aka dragons den himself)

rhian xx

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I have terrible problems finding bras (I am a 36AA!)and am now pretty much stuck to wearing cropped tops and my ‘sticky’ prosthesis- although it’s not that easy finding them now. I mentioned the same thing as you to Marks & Spencer. They have their ‘Target’ campaign contributing to breast cancer research but, despite their large range of bras they don’t do any for bc surgery ladies.

Jo

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Hi , this is my try at posting a comment , without a spell checker too!!!

well I had recon in May and have searched every place for a bra that fits and is under 30 squid. My husband has now tailored me one by chopping up bits of old bras , very comfy, hope that proverbial bus dosnt knock me down.

Went in to local MnS they have a range placed next to check out.soooo when looking through you also have half the queue looking at you, not the best

oh and I have now taken to going into every store and asking where they keep the post surgery range??? ,…got the usual no call for them.

moaning apart , this web site has been a god send have got loads of good advice and had many laughs with you, very very re assuring .

zopiclone time now nite god bless xx

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Hi All
This is my 1st comment but loved the poem and I am going to pass it onto my suppliers!
I did open a beautiful lingerie shop in Cheshire, Betty and Belle after my frustation at being offered the same bra that I had worn through 2 pregnancies ,I am a 32B and still after 6 years struggle to find a mastectomy bra in my size. We’re always badgering our maunfacturers for fashion colours, fancy straps and new styles.
We encourage our ladies who shop on the website to ring for size advice there is nothing better than speaking to someone, all bras fit differently Anita are generous & Amoena small quite often I go up a back size in this brand.I plan to do my own range too so ladies keep up the fight and don’t lose hope.X

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Fantastic poem,you are sooooo clever. You should publish these,what about it BCC?

13

Hi guys,
Just come home after my 1st weekend away (finished rads 2 weeks ago, and still sore). Love the lines really made me smile!
BRA’S what a (trying to think of a word that is more than 4 letters!) crap selection.
I might have been lucky, but found some in Primark that arn’t wired, and don’t look like scaffolding. One thing that Primark do do, is lots of size conbinations.
Just a thought
Julia

14

I have been to Betty and Belle in Altrincham, Cheshire. Lovely shop, lovely staff. It is full of pretty, feminine lingerie. Definitely worth a visit. One of the owners has had a mastectomy and opened her shop to fill a gap in the market and also treat ladies who have had bc sympathetically after her own negative experience.

Well worth a visit to the store in person or online.

Another good one is Womanzone in Warrington, Cheshire.

Love
Maude xx

15

I bought 2 pretty bras from John Lewis, the make is “Royce”. The ladies in the lingerie department were very helpful and know which bras would suit and suggested trying different sizes etc to get a better fit. I just find it so exhausting trying all the bras on. I also find that if I go to different shops I cannot just pick up a bra in the size I need as each manufacturer seems to differ its sizes. I also like to buy different bras for different tops. I have never needed a padded bra being a 34F but one of the bras from Royce is padded and was very good when wearing certain tops. But if you find a bra that suits, is comfortable and fite it is like golddust! Love Val (Scottishlass)

16

I’ve just been for my new prosthesis, and very glad to get shot of the sponge bob job!. Am I being picky, or am I just strange? The two bras that I bought from M&S are completely wrong for the job!
They just look and feel wrong. Luckily I took along an old bra (pre mx)and that has done the job, and looks right!
Please tell me I’m not as odd as I thought.
Julia

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I had a lumpectomy and I now find I am constantly hunting for decent seamless type bras without underwiring. Quite often when a bra has a seamed cup I find it lies on my scar and irritates it. Underwiring is something I always found uncomfortable before BC. I’ve got to the stage where I buy a few of whatever is comfy and I wear them till they fall apart.

In my case M and S bras never fit properly. I was measured by an excellent bra fitter in a very traditional type department store. I came up as 36C in all the big makes like Triumph and Berlei, but with M and S I need a 38B.

18

Hi ladies,
Boy do I know just how you feel. Yes I am ready to lose the pillow for a proper prothesis but I am a 34/36 G and I have to find a non underwired bra. Hah… ladies we are asking for the impossible. I have spent several nights looking up every lingerie shop Jeeves could give me and only a couple do the odd bra in my size. And we all know that just because it is our size doesn’t mean it will fit. My BCN asked me to look for a non wired bra as she said the prosthesis fits better in the cup. She also said Marks and Sparks arn’t the best although I am wearing one of their sports bras as it is easy on my healing wound. I did manage to find one pocketed bra in my size, ordered 2 (just in case they fit) and was told they are out of stock for next 7 to 10 days. Aaaargh!!! The other thing I shall do is hopefully find a bra and sew a pocket in myself. If not I shall use superglue.
I did ask for a reduction on the other side at some stage and would have had a double mx and then I could have chose what size to be.
I watched a programme not long ago on ladies sizes and the average British woman was said to be a DD cup. So why don’t they cater for the larger lady.
Enough said, not bad with fuzzy chemo brain!!!
Take care, happy shopping,
Jane

19

Hi to All!

I’m still in search of the perfect Mastectomy Bra!

M&S ones make me look like Madonna in her cone boob stage (Me & the BCN were in fits of giggles when I was fitted for my prosthesis!)
Asda ones were fine for the wee squishy pillow, but my prosthesis is too heavy for the pocket (I’m only a 34C so it’s not huge!)

…can’t find anywhere else locally who cater for the one boobed female, so I’ve taken to wearing sports bras, which are probably as good as I’m gonna get. They squish both sides into the same shape & hold them in place well, so it’s impossible to tell that I only have one boob of my own!

…Oh & I was in Debenhams today (buying hats for my wee bald head)& the wee man on the PA system was proudly telling everyone how much they raise for BC research & what they do to support woman who are living with BC etc etc (just what I needed to be hearing when I was trying to escape the whole breast cancer thing for a while!) But I thought hey, they must be up on the whole BC thing (they have signs everywhere promoting the fact that money from your purchase is going to the cause) so it dawned on me that they MUST do a mastectomy range! …but apparantly not!

When do you think these big chains will realise that by simply adding a wee pocket to their non wired full cup bras they’ll be doing a HUGE amount for woman suffering from BC??

Hazel x

20

Asda do a post surgery bra with pockets, dont know how good it is! But might be worth a look!

Debs xxx