Part of being woman

GEORGE NEWS - Breasts are as part of a woman as breathing. But what if a disease takes either one or both of your womanly assets away?

Breast cancer is a topic that not many women are comfortable talking about.

Anina Meiring of the George Cansa Care Centre is both a victim and survivor. Anina was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 35. For her the journey to recovery was easier than for most, because her husband understood and supported her. "He was absolutely awesome. I was very lucky. Not all women are this lucky." She had a single mastectomy, which means one of her breasts was removed.

George Herald visited Cansa earlier this month for their Bra Boutique day, a wonderful initiative in partnership with the M-Store.

Tosca Strafella, who works for M-Store in the Western Cape, says they help many women. They created breast prostheses to help women feel whole again. Tosca travels around the province helping women choose and fit prosthetic breasts. "In many cases women who had big breasts will go for a smaller size," she says.

As a fitting had been booked for the bra boutique day in George, Strafella brought with her a selection of cup sizes, beautiful underwear and information. Anina says back in the day when she went through the process they used knitted knockers. It's a knitted breast that fits into your bra. "It is soft and not very heavy. You must remember that you are still very sore and stiff after your operation. So this works and it's a cheaper option."

Some medical aids pay out for the prostheses. For enquiries, contact the M-Store on 061 807 9877 or George Cansa on 044 874 4824.

The knitted knocker on the left and a prosthetic breast cup on the right.