Helping Breast Cancer Patients Deal With Changes in Their Appearance
The Women’s Image Center, a women’s healthcare boutique outside of Boston. (Photo: Mary Aframe)
For women battling breast cancer, losing their hair and having breast removal surgery can be deeply traumatic. “When you think about it, the two things that make you feel most like a woman are your hair and your breasts,” explains Mary Aframe, the founder of the Women’s Image Center outside of Boston. “One of the oncologists I work with told me that he asks his patients ‘What was the hardest part of treatment?’ And 85% say losing their hair.” That statistic isn’t surprising to Aframe, who founded her business with the understanding that helping manage the radical changes in a woman’s appearance during cancer treatment is a crucial part of healing. Today women come to WIC to get help with wigs, breast prosthesis, or even find a bathing suit specifically designed for mastectomy patients.
The idea for The Women’s Image Center came to Aframe 16 years ago. At the time, women who underwent a lumpectomy or mastectomy had to then go to a medical supply store or a space carved out in a hospital to be fitted for breast prosthetics. It was a pretty clinical experience without any hand-holding for the emotional aspects that would inevitably arise. “They might be surrounded by commodes, wheelchairs, or lockers,” explains Aframe. “My vision was to create a comforting environment, a space that felt more like home. I try to make them feel like they are really being cared for in a more nurturing environment.”
Aframe now sees patients one-on-one in a homey space painted a soothing gray-green. The two outposts of the Women’s Image Center offer an emotionally supportive destination during and post breast-cancer treatment. For hair loss, Aframe walks patients through their options, covering hair loss and regrowth. She has a rack with turbans, hats, and scarves (and tying instructions) should a wig not be their thing. If they decide to go with a wig, a personal consultant will work with them on finding the right style for them.
Mary Aframe, founder of The Women’s Image Center, a women’s healthcare boutique outside of Boston. (Photo: Mary Aframe)
Aframe also offers a variety of post-mastectomy bras, and swimsuits. They also offer supplies for compression bandaging post-op, as well as class in lymphatic drainage. At WIC the specialty is breast prosthesis and forms. The Women’s Image Center is one of only seven places in the US that now offers a new cutting edge 3D laser prosthesis scanner, the American Breast Care Custom Breast Prosthesis. “We can create a custom prosthetic that will match whatever amount of tissue or breast volume that has been removed. The back of the form will fit each woman’s own unique surgical site exactly,” Aframe explains.
Aframe says working with so many cancer patients has really helped her gain perspective in her own life. “I think that in life there are always our plans and then there is life. When people ask me if I have ever had cancer, my response ‘Not yet.’ because there is no woman who it couldn’t happen to. So I am very grateful for every day because things that can change so quickly.” Aframe admits that at times the job takes it toll when some of the women she works with don’t make it. “Some days it is really hard, there have been a few times where I’ve had to call my therapist, but for the most part it’s all very positive,” Aframe says.
Ultimately, working with cancer patients has made her have no patience for complaining. “If I hear either of my daughters complaining. I say, ‘You know what? It’s not a brain tumor, you have to get over it, find a way, and move forward.’” Because Aframe sees women everyday leaping over unforeseen hurdles in their life with such grace, it’s impossible for her to not to be inspired. “People say, ‘Oh my god if that ever happened to me, I could never handle it. But if [cancer] happens, you know, you just pull up your boots and you get through it. I see it every day.”
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