Look Boutique at Augusta Overall health Heart for Most cancers & Blood Ailments Gets Makeover

Suzie VanValkenburg
Member
Breast Cancer Assist Group

For the duration of the past year at the Augusta Health and fitness Breast Most cancers Help Group meetings, females confidentially shared how they ended up emotion in the early weeks of their diagnosis. A typical topic emerged: a single of emotion vulnerable, not realizing how cancer would affect them, particularly their visual appearance. Discussion about the Cancer Center’s Appearances Boutique typically followed. Group chief and Oncology Breast Nurse Navigator, Donna Berdeaux, RN, BSN noticed an prospect to strengthen these initial prognosis emotions.

Open up for virtually 10 years, the Boutique has served the local community by delivering one cost-free wig to girls going through hair loss from chemotherapy. In 2016, bras and prosthetics [breast forms] were included to serve mastectomy patients.

Berdeaux’s vision was to lessen this helpless sensation by improving the Boutique to be much more welcoming and calming. Guidance Team customers Patty Piccinino, Carol Cobb, and Suzie VanValkenburg worked with Berdeaux and Appearances Boutique Coordinator, Kim Glover.

Considering that most cancer clients originally stop by the Boutique with their substantial other, loved ones member, or feminine friends, earning a great to start with perception issues. The 1st phase in enhancing the room was re-arranging inventory. Headcovers these as scarves, turbans, and hats had been moved to the entrance partitions earning them colorful. Wigs were moved additional back for a far more organic circulation. Because every patient does not want a mastectomy, bras had been moved to the back again to be fewer overwhelming.

The crew labored with amenities to open up the space by removing non-crucial merchandise like a large desk. A peaceful place consisting of two chairs, a compact desk, and a rug were extra. It is now an best environment for significant conversation about a woman’s approaching adjust in her appearance.

Based mostly on Support Team suggestions, a assortment of head covering possibilities ended up extra to much better in shape distinctive life actions. The Assistance Group lately began building earrings to be presented free of charge when a lady chooses a head covering. The beaded earrings will incorporate a contact of glamor and enjoyable to one’s new search.

“I couldn’t consider the big difference. I could sense the warmth and calmness. It’s astounding how the full vibe shifted merely by building a handful of alterations,” commented a latest breast cancer survivor.

This undertaking also involved developing a new flyer promoting the Appearances Boutique. In addition, a new system was developed to thank donors for their bodily donations to the Boutique and Most cancers Centre. A long run project consists of doing the job to maximize financial help for the Boutique so it can continue to provide a variety of head coverings.

Contributions can be designed to the Appearances Fund via the Augusta Wellness Basis. Pay a visit to https://www.augustahealth.com/foundation/ for far more data.