My article

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1

Hello,
I did an article on Post Surgery Lingerie, in todays SUN Newspaper, I hope this will help others needing post surgery lingerie, and I am still continuing my campaign to get more ranges that are colourful and sexy, so please bare with me, as it is taking a long time to actually get the point through to the heads of the companies,who just dont realise what we actually are going through and frustration on getting lingerie to fit whilst wearing prosthesis, and having breast surgery.

One day we will hopefully have the ranges we so desire and we can then wear all the latest fashions including halternecks and strappy tops without having ‘scaffolding type granny bras’ underneath and the dreaded WHITE.!!

I do hope you all like the article I did, however there are a few points to say, I DONT get paid for being a model to trial wear the lingerie, I wish I could then I could buy lingerie!! Also, the top 5 lists, the bras there are from the companies suggesting the best ones, so I only chose the shops… But you know what newspapers are like, they like it to have a big impact true or not…

My best one is the one I am photographed wearing and that is Royce Lingerie, the Chantelle one, and it is perfect fit, so highly recommended.

let me know what you think of this article and what your views are on the bras, so that I can take them to the head offices and get them to finally listen to what we need and want.

I am trying to get things better, but it is taking time.

thanks C xx

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Well done. I just found it on the web - it took a bit of digging on the Sun’s site.

So for everyone else
thesun.co.uk/article/0,2001290023-2007450649,00.html

Sharon x

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puppydog1 - BRILLIANT - you are doing a fantastic job. An excellent article and you are to be congratulated on your perseverance.

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Interesting article, well done for pushing the companies into producing what we want.

Can I please put in a plea for those of us who are a AA cup? I honestly believed I would never get breast cancer because I felt I didn’t have anything to get BC in - how wrong I was. I have a AA cup friend with BC who thought the same. Maybe the bra companies think this too.

Very few of the mastectomy ranges start at a AA, and those that do tend to be very plain and white. I feel so unfeminine with only one very small boob as it is, to have to wear a very un-pretty bra just adds insult to injury. I have found ordinary full cup bras that will do, but my plain Nicola-Jane bra is so much more comfy & feels so much more secure - I just want one that isn’t plain. Is it so much to ask?

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Hi puppydog,
just seen the article you did - well done! The bra you are wearing looks so natural, comfortable and sexy much better than i would have imagined possible. keep at it - what you are saying to the lingerie companies seems to be getting through
cheers
caroline.

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Hi Carol,

just read your article and its awesome, I’m so glad you did it! I wear a DD cup and at times have found it tricky to get pretty bras in my size. The one you are wearing is lovely and I’d love to know how I can get hold of one!?

Good on 'ya,

Take care,

Kelly
-x-

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John Lewis stock them and they can also be bought directly from the manufacturer.

royce-lingerie.co.uk/product_detail.php?style=606&type=Celestial

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Hi all,
Many thanks for your comments, I have taken the bit about the AA, and I have included all shapes and sizes, especially small backs big cups, and big backs and small cups,. Hopefully companies will start to see what we need, in all sizes, in all ranges, and more colours…

The one I am wearing is from Royce, and they are very good at giving us bras that are comfy, and the pocket shapes are good, for your prosthesis.
I am however, still working on getting colours, I mean how many white bras can a girl need… I want chocolate, plum, royal blue, jade, etc, and nice matching knickers too.

I am still working on these, and your comments and suggestions are greatfully appreciated so that I can knock on the companies doors with them, and get them to implement it.

Please be assured that I am not and never will give up on this mission, until companies deliver what we need and want, and even then I will still be there knocking on their door to change it again to keep up with todays fashions…

thanks for your positive comments and hopefully the outcome of this article will be positive too.
C xxx

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Hi Carol

What a brilliant article and what good work you are doing.

What I am interested to know, is how do you get the manufacturers to try new ideas!!! It’s just that it seems that whenever we talk about bras and post Mastectomy bras it’s always about the ladies with large cup sizes or small cup sizes. My problem is neither and I have tried so many different bras in the last 9 months, tried endless styles, shapes, sizes (bra shop woman’s suggestion)! I just don’t conform to the ‘norm’… I’m not particulalry interested in ‘pretty bras’ as I don’t intend anyone to see me in them!

I don’t wear my prosthesis unless I’m out socially, it’s a nuisance, gets in the way, won’t stay put and if I bend over… god help the world at large! I don’t work as such but we have our own kennel where our 30 sled dogs are housed, I have horses and spend all day outside with them all. So I am endlessly bending and lifting heavy things, I tried the prosthesis when out working once and that will be the one and only time I do. So I live in sports bras at home, not expensive ones as they were the biggest waste of time/money ever, I use good ole cheap (not because I can’t afford better) ones from a supermarket as they are the most comfortable ones for me. Even using that bra I still have a problem and can be in constant pain along my scar! I am not the perfect shape nor have a perfect figure, I have bulges where I shouldn’t have them and therein lies the problem… The underneath of the bra rolls up and then lies against my scar, particulalary under the arm and outer edge of my scar.

So how do you get them to design a bra for someone who is not the ‘norm’ shape and doing the strange activities that I do??? The woman in the lingerie shop locally, said she had never had such trouble fitting a bra to someone… Mastectomy or otherwise!!! Great…

Anyway, well done Carol and keep up the good work.

Lynn x

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Hi Lynn

I have taken what you have said about the difficulties with you finding good bras for your activities. I will speak with the companies I have been dealing with and see what they say and let you know what the outcome is.

I have been speaking with loads of ladies all over the UK in regards to getting the companies to listen to us, As I wear two breast prosthesis, I cannot therefore advies on how a bra would be suitable for someone who has a natural breast and prosthesis or surgery on one breast only. I have therefore been speaking with the ladies who have had surgery on one breast, and they have given me their comments on fit, style, and surgery and I have taken those comments to the companies, so that we are covering all angles and areas.

The categories I have been given by ladies throughout the UK, including prosthesis fitters and bra fitters comments, are:
One breast surgery,
Double mastectomy
Lymphodema
‘dog ear’ flap under arm
reconstruction with Diep Flap, Latis Dorsa, Tram etc, so that the scars are included in the list given to the companies to get them to make sure that the bras are comfortable and supportive for both natural breast weight and prosthesis weight.

I have also included women who have contacted me, on nice tops that they can wear, as the dont wear their prosthesis (similar to your comments above, they are uncomfortable and move a lot, ).

The list of designs have included, clear straps, front fastening (as some ladies cannot reach around the back to undo, due to surgery), more colours, more feminine,multiways, so that we can wear halternecks or strapless tops etc. Thinner straps but with the same support, to name but a few.

However, I have now included your request above, and I can only but try with all these items, but if you dont ask you dont get,. is my motto. And more importantly if you dont get, well in this cases, I KEEP TRYING…Until they get the message…

hope this is of use for you, and I will be keeping up the work, until we have the same or similar amount of selection that we used to have before surgery.

Any other suggestions or comments please let me know and I will try my best to do something.
Cxx

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hiyah carol loved the article, and didnt realise you live in the same place as my sister who ( personal information removed for your safety and security as per the terms and conditions - moderator) small world eh? as to the article loved the way you look in your bras and i agree we do need to make more people aware of the need for better bras. anyway hope to speak to you soon. id love to be the model for asda that they are looking for as well. lynn xx