Issue 25 Autumn/Winter 2007/2008
life
Keeping up appearances How are you really feeling?
Let’s go round again
How to make the vintage look work for you
Here’s to you Mrs Robinson! Celebrating 25 issues of Amoena Life
PLUS
Readers talk about Letrozole (Femara), Capecitabine and lots more!
Going for the burn When radiotherapy bites back
From the editor You know you’re really getting old when the fashions you wore in your youth are suddenly being embraced by a whole new generation of teenagers! Having lived through the horror that was fashion in the 80s, I just can’t believe anyone would want to wear leggings, skinny jeans or patent leather shoes again, but this year the shops have been full of them. And it’s not just 80s styles that are enjoying a comeback. Fashion’s current love affair with the vintage look means that whatever your era – 50s, 60s, 70s or 80s – we’re all faced with the same dilemma: can we really wear fashions second time around? The good news is that styles are never completely the same when they come back into fashion but the bad news is, neither are we! So things that we could – just barely – get away with way back when (purple striped leggings and red patent pixie boots anyone?) are probably best avoided now we’re old enough to know better. The key is knowing how to update your look so that it’s both wearable and modern, with a nod to the best of the past. In Let’s go round again, Amoena stylist, Christina Relf, gives her advice on updating the looks of yesteryear. And, to help us celebrate our 25th issue, we invited back five former cover girls and asked them to model some classic vintage fashions – I’m sure you’ll agree they all look absolutely fabulous! 2007 is also a vintage year for Amoena, as we celebrate 25 issues of our magazine. I can’t believe 15 years have gone by since we started Inform, the newsletter that was to become Amoena Life magazine. I have loved editing and seeing it evolve over the years – all thanks to our readers’ input and participation. Without you, the magazine wouldn’t exist – your letters, suggestions and enthusiastic modelling for our features and fashion spreads are all things that make it so special. You can read about the magazine’s evolution in our lighthearted look back over the past 25 issues, Here’s to you, Mrs Robinson! Breast cancer treatment has evolved significantly in the past 15 years, but one thing that remains as much a part of treatment now as it was then is radiotherapy. In Going for the burn we look at how to cope with the side effects and get some expert input on the latest developments. Another constant is the emotional impact of breast cancer. Do you ever find yourself putting a brave face on things, trying to appear at ease when really you’re terrified or just plain miserable? In Keeping up appearances, we ask what happens when faking it is no longer an option. There’s nothing wrong with a little faking it in the looks department, though. If you want to see how a touch of trickery can produce stunning visual results, turn to page 32 for our You’re gorgeous feature on Contact breast forms. Nothing comes closer to a real breast, as our models Penny and Jenny demonstrate to sultry effect! Putting the magazine together is really rewarding, but we are a small team and it does take a lot of commitment and time. So I hope you won’t mind if Amoena Life takes a short – and well-earned – holiday next year. Unfortunately this means there won’t be a Spring 2008 issue, but look out for our fabulous bumper Autumn issue in October 2008. In the meantime please do keep your letters and emails coming in, and remember, if you’re online you can stay in touch with other readers via our readers’ forum at www.amoena.co.uk I hope you find plenty to inspire you in our Silver issue.
On the cover Our cover models Jenny Moore, aged 64; Julie Brennan, aged 46; Wendy Boden, aged 68; Eileen Evans, aged 41; Lyn George, aged 50 have all had breast surgery. Outfits supplied by Debenhams, John Lewis and Simply Be (see page 23 for stockists) Make-up Glossworks Hair styling Julie and Lisa West
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contents
Contributors Journalist and stylist Christina Relf is proud to be part of the Amoena Life editorial team. ‘Helping put together the 25th issue has been great fun – particularly working with several of our previous models again. As always, it’s thoroughly inspiring to talk to readers about their experiences when I’m writing the features for the magazine, and this time our photoshoot was probably the best ever, with seven models to style and make up for the fashion and ‘silver’ celebration spreads. Here’s to another 25 issues!’ Dianne (Browne) Armitage was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. The eldest of six children, her early aspiration was to write the great American novel. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996 and again in 2005, she realises that humour has helped her deal with her diagnosis and just might be therapeutic to others as well. In addition to her work with Amoena, Dianne has written for Dr Susan Love’s website and is a frequent contributor to several other health-related sites as well. Publisher Amoena UK Ltd Editor Rhoda White 023 8027 0345 rhoda.white@amoena.com Research/Features Rhoda White, Christina Relf, Carol Childs Design and art direction Park Corner Design Ltd www.parkcorner.com Photography Redsnapper Studios, Paul Close, Amoena GmbH, Getty Images, Corbis
6 26 40 10 17 32 36 4 14 24 45 54
Issue 25 Autumn/Winter 2007
features Report: Going for the burn When radiotherapy bites back Special feature: Here’s to you Mrs Robinson Celebrating 25 issues of Amoena Life Mind and body: Keeping up appearances How are you really feeling?
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fashion Whatever you want Amoena’s lingerie brings you more of what you want Let’s go round again How to make the vintage look work for you
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You’re gorgeous Indulge your inner girliness Escape to the sun New swimwear from Amoena
regulars Up front All the latest news on issues that affect you
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In contact Readers’ Letters: Readers offer encouragement and support Ask the experts Your questions answered Write back Readers’ Forum: Readers talk about Letrozole (Femara), Capecitabine and lots more!
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Back chat What’s up doc? Tired of the jargon that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis, Dianne Armitage reaches for her medical dictionary Copyright: The entire contents of this publication is copyrighted to Amoena (UK) Ltd, 2007, E & OE. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents in any manner is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher. Amoena Life magazine is published twice a year and is available free of charge on request. No liability for unsolicited manuscripts. Amoena (UK) Ltd, cannot be liable for pictorial or typographical errors. Whilst every effort is taken to ensure the information contained in this magazine is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any use of or reliance on the accuracy of such information. Any information provided is not a substitute for professional care and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. If you have, or suspect you have a health problem, you should consult your doctor. All prices quoted were correct at the time of going to press. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any subsequent price changes. The editor reserves the right to edit or abridge letters.
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up front
up front This issue’s Up front focuses on how you can get information and support to help you cope with breast cancer
Buddy up! Find a cancer buddy online www.cancerbuddiesnetwork.org is a new website launched by cancer survivor Jan Rutter, who found that being able to share her feelings with others who were going through something similar was key to her emotional recovery. Launched in August 2006, it is aimed at anyone affected by cancer and is the first website whose sole purpose is putting people directly in touch with each other from the comfort of their own homes via a safe and easy-to-use database and search engine. Cancer Buddies Network (CBN) offers a free, personalised service where members can log on and meet others on a one-to-one basis for support and friendship through what may be one of the most traumatic periods of their lives. Members can search for others under
Have your say Chat to other Amoena Life readers online If you’d like to stay in touch with other Amoena Life readers between issues, log onto the Amoena website discussion forum. Says Rhoda White, Amoena’s marketing manager: ‘If you enjoy the Write Back and In Contact pages of Amoena Life, you’ll love the forum. You can read comments from other women, share your experiences and exchange views on various topics including breast cancer in younger women, reconstruction, drug treatments, post-surgery problems, and recurrence and secondary breast cancer. It’s a great way to get, and give, support.’ Go to www.amoena.co.uk to find out for yourself.
criteria such as type of cancer, diagnosis date, age range, geographical location and whether they are a friend, relative, carer or the person affected. Says founder, Jan Rutter, who experienced cancer five years ago: ‘One of the things I found more helpful than anything else was being able to talk to other people who were going through the same thing as me. My family and friends were wonderful and I couldn’t have done it without them, but there is nothing like having someone to talk to who knows how you feel because they’ve been there.’ When she looked into finding a website that could link people in this way she was disappointed to find that there wasn’t anything like this already in existence, and so the idea was born. Cancer Buddies Network is supported by Macmillan Cancer Support and Millennium Grants UnLtd.
Click therapy Introducing the new Amoena online shopping service If you don’t feel like going out but would still like a little retail therapy, fear not – Amoena’s all-new online store is ready and waiting! The site was relaunched this summer with a fantastic new look and a great mix of special features, all designed to make it easier for you to buy online with Amoena. You can track the progress of each order, view your order history to see what you’ve bought previously and receive special offers that will be created just for you. Find out what’s in store at www.amoena-online.co.uk
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up front
Peer to peer Helping you find the right support Being told you have breast cancer raises a whole host of questions, uncertainties and emotions, and while speaking to friends and family provides tremendous comfort and support, sometimes it can feel that only people who know exactly what you are going through are truly able to understand. The leading support charity Breast Cancer Care provides this lifeline to hundreds of women daily, through its free information and support services that can help at all stages of a breast cancer journey. Its national helpline, run by specialist nurses and people who have had breast cancer themselves, ensures people are on hand to answer any question you might have about your diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Its unique Peer Support offers a listening ear over the phone from a trained volunteer whose own breast cancer experiences closely match your own, while weekly telephone sessions bring together women to discuss and share experiences on different topics with a nurse and psychologist on hand. From day and weekend courses for people living with breast cancer to practical help on issues such as hair loss and buying lingerie after surgery, Breast Cancer Care has something to suit everyone, whatever their needs. It also has a range of factsheets and booklets available to order or download, and has recently published information on complementary therapies and breast surgery and recovery. To find out more, call the charity’s helpline today on 0808 800 6000 or visit www.breastcancercare.org.uk
There’s nothing like a good read Books that can help you cope
Reading about the experiences of other women can be therapeutic as well as informative and entertaining. Take inspiration from these three recently-published books by breast cancer survivors. Take off your party dress: when life’s too busy for breast cancer, by Dina Rabinovitch Journalist Dina Rabinovitch had just turned 40 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2004. At that point she didn’t know a thing about the disease. Today she’s an expert. Her experience of the condition and its treatment, from diagnosis through mastectomy to recovery, is recounted in this down-to-earth memoir covering everything from trialling Herceptin to what to wear that’s stylish after surgery.
The secret history of a woman patient: discoveries of a breast cancer survivor, by Janet Rhys Dent When Janet Rhys Dent is diagnosed with a lifethreatening illness, she decides to try to be a ‘good patient’. With any luck, this role will give her the best chance of recovery during the six months of medical testing and treatment that she faces. This book reveals her secret dilemmas and discoveries, both inside and outside the hospital. It also records her successes and many failures as she becomes seriously involved in the quest to find out what makes a good patient. The fight of my life: the inspiring story of a mother’s fight against breast cancer, by Barbara Clark Barbara Clark is a former nurse and mother of three children, two with special needs, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in February 2005. During her treatment, she found that there was a drug, Herceptin, that would double survival chances for her particular form of cancer. However, it wasn’t available on the NHS and therefore, for Barbara, was unaffordable. In the midst of aggressive chemotherapy, Barbara, incredibly, found the strength to fight not just the NHS but the government, and to win the right to be prescribed the drug on the NHS – not just for herself but for thousands of other women.
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report
Going for the burn When radiotherapy bites back Often viewed as the less sinister sister in the family of treatments following breast surgery, radiotherapy can still pack a punch. Whether you’re about to undergo treatment or are experiencing some of the side effects, read on for an in-depth look at the best cures and coping strategies.
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report
A
lthough in these high-tech times using x-rays to kill cancer cells might seem quite outdated, oncologists, surgeons and radiologists insist that radiotherapy is a highly effective and essential part of breast cancer treatment in most cases. This is because it is localised, focusing only on the specific area where the cancer cells are known to have been. And while normal tissue is able to repair itself, because cancer cells grow in an erratic and uncontrolled way they are less able to repair radiation damage. Yet it is precisely because radiotherapy affects normal cells as well as cancer cells that side effects occur. While it is better able to recover, healthy tissue may still suffer some damage – although usually any problems are temporary.
One reader who swears by it is Shirley Chapman: ‘Aloe vera is an extraordinary plant that’s good for any kind of skin soreness or burning. I used Aloe Vera Gelly (see Contacts) regularly throughout my treatment as well as drinking Aloe vera juice to help boost my immune system. My skin remained smooth and soft and my energy levels high; Aloe vera definitely saved my skin.’
a few drops of peppermint oil on a handkerchief that you can inhale from whenever you feel the need. And if you can bear to eat anything, there’s always that morning-sickness staple – the ginger biscuit! One reader was extremely well prepared for her treatments, rigorously following Professor Jane Plant’s advice (from her book
‘ Just as people react differently to sunburn, with some experiencing severe redness, discomfort and peeling, and others finding their skin recovers very quickly, so there is a range of reactions to radiation.’
T h e h e at i s o n
Radiotherapy requires a cumulative effect, which often means daily trips to hospital, with all the bother that this entails – whether you’re hanging around waiting for public transport or submitting to the expense and stress of taking the car. It’s never fun waiting for treatments, either, and many women report that the somewhat ‘industrial’ ambience in the radiotherapy room is unnerving, with its humming machinery and the sense of isolation as you try to lie still in an awkward position for several minutes while the radiation is applied. Yet despite all this, the actual experience of radiotherapy is not painful. It’s quick and relatively fuss-free – particularly once you know the score. However, as the body heals itself your energy can be drained, so do allow for tiredness. Amoena Life reader Valerie Humphries’ advice is to rest after treatment: ‘Most people have to travel some distance and the daily journeys can be exhausting.’ And remember to be kind to yourself – if you have offers of a lift, take them! Just as people react differently to sunburn, with some experiencing severe redness, discomfort and peeling, and others finding their skin recovers very quickly, so there is a range of reactions to radiation. And although the treatment is not painful at the time, after a few visits it’s not unusual to experience a localised reddening of the skin, which can sometimes feel dry, sore and itchy. While E45, hydrocortisone and aqueous cream are often recommended by medical teams, readers’ experience is overwhelmingly in favour of the miraculous powers of Aloe vera.
June Smith is another one of many readers who can’t recommend it highly enough: ‘I bought Aloe Vera Gel Bio Active Treatment 99.9% from Holland and Barrett and began rubbing it on the treated areas. It was wonderful! The skin was cooled and refreshed, the redness eliminated and, best of all, the scarring disappeared so that it is practically impossible to see that I have had surgery. I cannot praise the gel too highly and have continued to use it regularly ever since, on my face and body.’ Another great find is Bio-Oil. Developed to help reduce scars and uneven skintone, prevent stretch marks and lubricate dry, damaged or chapped skin, it can be used on both face and body. Its formula enables the targeted delivery of vitamins A and E, lavender, calendula and rosemary oils, and camomile extract. ‘I used it several times a day – just pouring it on my skin and spreading gently with a cotton wool bud. This gave me a lot of relief from the pain and discomfort,’ says Barbara Millington. ‘It helped to remove the burnt skin and left me with new, healthy, pink tissue after a couple of weeks.’ Bio-Oil is very reasonably priced and widely available (see Contacts). Vitamin E cream, available from many health food stores, chemists and The Body Shop, is also very good, and Verite Reily Collins swears by Clinique’s Deep Comfort Body Butter for intensive moisturising. Some women also complain of nausea following treatment. Although this is difficult to counteract, sipping peppermint tea can help when you feel sick, or even
Your Life in Your Hands) – with the result that she had no side effects at all. ‘I followed her advice to the letter,’ says Ada McKay. ‘I purchased a big bottle of cola and a bottle of olive oil before I started the course of treatment and as soon as I got home from hospital I drank a couple of glasses of cola, washed my skin and put the olive oil on it.’ Professor Plant says that as cola contains phosphoric acid it will encourage your body to exchange the radioactive phosphates for non-radioactive phosphates in the cola as soon as possible. She advises using olive oil to moisturise and taking kelp, seaweed and garlic to help reduce the side effects of x-rays and radiotherapy. ‘I bought a bottle of kelp tablets and ate some dried seaweed and a garlic clove with my meal every day,’ says Ada. It’s not surprising that depression often accompanies radiotherapy and while there’s no instant cure, readers emphasise the importance of pampering yourself and trying to put your needs first. Pam Mills advocates self-hypnosis. Jacqui Buxton found that a herbal tonic helped revive her spirits and boost her energy levels. ‘Bio-Strath Elixir was very helpful. I believe it helped to ward off the tiredness that a lot of patients experience. I even managed to drive myself to my treatments.’ But as with most treatments, the unlucky few will have more serious and longerlasting side effects. Among these are scarred, burnt skin, broken veins and sometimes more serious damage to bones and internal organs as the result of either a severe reaction or accidental overdose.
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report
Tough love?
One of the more common side effects of radiotherapy is a temporary pigmentation of the skin soon after treatment. Some patients develop soreness and peeling. In the longer term, broken veins can occur on the delicate skin of the chest and some patients develop thickening of the tissues. Dr Michael Williams, Vice-President of the Royal College of Radiologists and Dean of its Faculty of Clinical Oncology, explains: ‘The reaction to radiotherapy delivered to the breast or chest wall depends on whether or not the skin receives the full dose. This may be done to treat areas considered to be at risk or may occur in the fold of skin beneath the breast. If so then peeling of the skin may follow soon after treatment. The treatment and its side effects should be explained at the outset and the patient should be told what to expect. For most patients the maximum dose is given below the skin and there should just be a slight temporary change in pigmentation.’
‘Because radiotherapy is still seen as a vital tool in the treatment of cancer, it is crucial that research is ongoing into better forms of delivery.’
After Lyndall Gallagher’s treatment finished, ‘I was left looking at a large sunburnt patch the size of the entire breast area,’ she says. ‘I was not a pretty sight and it did upset me to look in the bathroom mirror when going to take a shower. I felt I had been mutilated.’ To help improve her self-esteem, Lyndall had a TRAM-flap reconstruction, and her plastic surgeon suggested she could have laser treatment to remove the burn marks. ‘I had three sessions on the top (cleavage) area, where it counted most, and the skin looks as normal as the rest of the skin on my chest. This is how I came to know about getting rid of the broken blood vessels. I don’t think any creams or potions would work, as the condition is under the skin, not on the surface.’ Over the past few years, laser therapy has become a staple of the beauty industry and its benefits are also recognised by the medical profession. Lyndall’s treatment took place at University College Hospital, Galway, where she had her reconstruction. In the UK, Pulsar is one of the best-known types of laser treatment. It is an intense pulsed light system that uses different frequencies to correct sun-damaged skin, pigmentation, spider veins and birth marks, and is also used for permanent hair reduction (see Contacts for more details). The advent of
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amoena life autumn/winter 2007
laser therapy is excellent news for anyone left with scarring, burn marks or broken veins after radiotherapy. While it may not eradicate them completely, it can help reduce their appearance dramatically, and can even help the skin to regenerate at a deep level, restoring a plumper and more youthful appearance. Less easy to eradicate is internal damage. Wendy Mann experienced pain and numbness in her arm and hand on the fourth day of her treatment. By the fifth day she was unable to move her arm at all. Wendy was examined by a doctor who diagnosed muscular problems, and her treatment was suspended. However, subsequent examination by a neurologist resulted in a diagnosis of brachial nerve plexus damage caused by radiotherapy. Wendy was unfortunate in experiencing this extremely rare incidence of nerve damage. She still has tingling in her thumb, stabbing chest pain and occasional breathlessness, together with numbness in her armpit. Julie Drakett also suffered internal damage to her ribs and oesophagus during radiotherapy. She developed costochondritis (inflammation of the cartilage that joins the ribs to the breastbone), and suffers from shortness of breath, chronic heartburn, and pain in her ribs, breastbone, collar bone and shoulder: ‘I wake up in the morning in agony,’ she says. ‘After a while it eases, but it’s always with me.’ Julie has been told there is nothing that will cure her condition, although she uses heartburn remedies and finds that massage and reflexology help with the pain. She is convinced that she was overdosed with
radiotherapy: ‘The osteopath says it has burnt my bones.’ She is adamant that more research needs to be done into how many women experience long-term side effects. ‘I feel strongly that the side effects need a lot of research and maybe the strength of radiation can be reduced or certainly better regulated.’ Thankfully, since Julie was treated in 1992, things have changed – in no small part due to the tireless campaigning of a group of women calling themselves RAGE – Radiotherapy Action Group Exposure. Burning issue
The story of RAGE began during the late 1970s, when the practice at certain hospitals in the UK resulted in an increase in radiation-induced injuries. These risk factors are well understood today and are now carefully avoided. But, according to Yesterday’s Women – the Story of Rage, a report published by Macmillan Cancer Support in December 2006, it took a long time for this understanding to become public knowledge. The RAGE women initially found it very difficult even to get their problems recognised, let alone to gain an understanding of how and why they had been damaged. It wasn’t until as late as 1991, when Lady Audrey Ironside took her doctor to court, that the women realised there were others like them. Although Lady Ironside had to discontinue her case because of costs, as a result of the court action she met up with other women who had experienced similar damage, and together they set up RAGE, with the aim of raising awareness of the injuries and campaigning for sympathetic care within the NHS, campaigning for national standards in radiotherapy, seeking compensation commensurate with the injury, and providing mutual support. It has been difficult enough for these women to cope with their disabling and deeply painful conditions, which include the loss of use of an arm, chronic uncontrollable pain, fractured ribs, difficulty with breathing, severe skin burns, digestion and circulatory problems. To add insult to injury, however, the women felt that medical practice should be reviewed and changed where necessary to ensure that their problems were not experienced by others. They also wanted to secure compensation for themselves and anyone else in their position.
report
When the Daily Mail published a piece in February 2007 entitled ‘Woman killed by the cure for her cancer’, about the Patricia Roper case, they felt they had finally achieved a significant result.
where the woman moved position between treatment of the breast and treatment to the armpit, and there was a field overlap – which meant that certain areas inadvertently got treated twice.
‘The Patricia Roper case was a breakthrough because the medical profession has always been in denial about the long-term damage and impact of radiotherapy,’ explains Jean McFarlane of RAGE. ‘Because 30 years ago Patricia Roper had this terrible dose, and suffered such dreadful pain as a result, doctors eventually recommended that she have her arm amputated. But the pain comes from the brain to the motor nerves, so she continued to have the pain anyway, even when the arm wasn’t there any more.’ The coroner ruled that Mrs Roper had died as a result of a delayed reaction to her radiotherapy, following a severe haemorrhage three weeks after her arm was amputated. Doctors subsequently found that scar tissue had spread all over her chest, fusing her internal organs and leaving areas of flesh that were dying off as the blood supply failed. The coroner concluded: ‘One is almost shocked to hear that somebody should endure such a treatment when it is designed to help them overcome the disease. But I must bear in mind that the way in which radiotherapy was approached has now been refined. In 1971 the world was a different place and doctors felt that the important thing was to zap the cancer without much thought for the consequences for the patient afterwards.’
‘There has now been a move towards a standardisation of treatment. The START (Standardisation of Breast Radiotherapy) trial encouraged radiologists to prove that they could carry out treatments in a particular way that would avoid anyone receiving a double dose. It involves the use of a pole that holds the arm above the patient’s head and fixes its position throughout treatment. The breast only is treated, and the patient doesn’t move. The machine is then moved to treat the armpit, thus avoiding the problem of overlap. This method has now become widely adopted.’
None of the RAGE victims has received any compensation for the damage they have suffered, because the UK does not have a compensation system for non-negligent medical injury, which is why they felt this verdict was so important. So what has been done to change the way that radiotherapy is given in the UK? After extensive lobbying by RAGE, the Department of Health agreed in 1995 to fund an audit to investigate how their radiotherapy had led to such serious damage. The main finding was that moving women in between treatments greatly increased the risk of injury. Dr Michael Williams of the Royal College of Radiologists says: ‘Some patients have an unusual sensitivity to radiotherapy, although it is actually very rare. The women of RAGE received injuries to the nerves and vessels in the armpit. These problems occurred more than 25 years ago, and most of the injuries relate to the technique used at the time,
Looking ahead
Because radiotherapy is still seen as a vital tool in the treatment of cancer, it is crucial that research is ongoing into better forms of delivery. Among the studies currently being carried out is the IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy) study, which is comparing a new way of giving radiotherapy with standard treatment. IMRT allows the beams to be shaped more accurately to the shape and size of each woman’s breast than is possible with conventional treatment. Doctors hope this will result in less scarring and other side effects.
the discomfort of burnt skin, it’s no wonder the TARGIT approach is being hailed as revolutionary. Dr Michael Williams of the Royal College of Radiologists welcomes the trial: ‘The ‘one-stop’ breast radiotherapy advance is potentially very exciting,’ he says, ‘but at the moment it is still in the trial stage and we will need to wait for about five years to complete the studies assessing it.’ Meanwhile he is excited about additional results from the START trial (mentioned earlier), which show that 13 or 15 sessions are just as good as 25 for treating breast cancer, meaning that treatment can be given over a three-week period instead of the standard five weeks. ‘This study confirms what clinicians have suspected for many years, namely that a shorter treatment is both effective and safe,’ says Dr Williams. So one way or another, it looks as though radiotherapy is here to stay. And with recent medical advances and ongoing research, the future looks brighter for women who will benefit from this treatment which is, after all, a life saver. As Julie Drakett, who still suffers from painful side effects as a result of her treatment, says: ‘Think long term. If you need radiotherapy to survive cancer it will give you another chance at life: there is nothing more precious.’
C o n t a ct s
Bio Oil (www.bio-oil.com) – available from Boots and Holland & Barrett Clinique products are available in most major department stores or online at www.clinique.co.uk
TARGIT is another potentially exciting development which could enable women to receive all their breast cancer treatment in one dose, at the time of surgery. IORT (intra-operative radiotherapy) delivers the radiotherapy to the inside of the breast tissue in one, single, 30-minute dose that is actually given during surgery. Pioneered by a team at London’s University College Hospital, so far 800 women have joined an international trial, which also includes three other UK hospitals. Mohammed Keshtgar, a breast surgeon at UCLH, says: ‘I have absolutely no doubt that this is a revolutionary technique which will significantly improve the care of patients.’ Doctors hope that it will be as effective as standard treatment in preventing recurrence, as well as improving the quality of life of women who are having radiotherapy treatment.
Laser therapy – visit www.pulsartreatments.co.uk for further information, contact details and a list of salons To download a copy of the RAGE report, go to Macmillan’s website www.macmillan.org.uk To find out more about radiotherapy trials for women with breast cancer in the UK, go to The National Cancer Research Network (www.ncrn.org.uk) or Cancer Research UK, www.cancerresearch.org.uk Bio-Strath Elixir is available from Holland & Barrett, and from various online health stores, including www.goodnessdirect.co.uk
If this became the standard way of giving radiotherapy to women with breast cancer, it would make the ordeal of treatment so much easier to bear. With no further hospital visits, no waiting for treatment, and none of
Aloe Vera Gelly is available from Forever Living Products (see advert on page 52 for further information).
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lingerie
S m o o t h o p e r at o r
Every woman should own at least one great T-shirt bra. This one is padded for a little extra oomph and a smooth look even under the tightest tops. It’s soft, easy to wear and a real bargain at just £20!
Lara bra Sizes: 32–40 A B C Order code: 675 (black), 674 (nude) Price: £20 Multi-option pockets* Will also be available in AA and D cup sizes from June 2008
Whatever you want You asked… we listened… Amoena’s latest lingerie brings you more of what you want 10 |
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lingerie
B A C K TO B L A C K
Nora is one of our most popular styles and now it’s available in black. A great winter wardrobe staple. Nora bra Sizes: 36–44 A B C D,Left or Right pocket Order code: 555 (white), 557 (black) Price: £18 Available in black from December 2007
V A V A V OOM
T a k e t h e S TRA I N
At last a pretty bra that’s available up to a G cup. Underwired for superb support and amazing shape, this pretty bra comes with matching briefs.
If shoulder strain is a bugbear, try this lovely new bra with matching briefs – the bra’s wide gel straps offer exceptional comfort.
Nina bra Sizes: 32 D DD E F G 34–46 B C D DD E F G Order code: 2242 (champagne) Price: £23
Evelyn bra Sizes: 36–44 B C D, 36–42 DD Order code: 672 (champagne) Price: £23 Multi-option pockets*
Multi-option pockets*
Evelyn briefs Sizes: 10–20 Order code: 673 (champagne) Price: £12 Inc vat
Nina briefs Sizes: S–XXXL Order code: 2542 (champagne) Price: £12 Inc vat
*Multi-option pockets can be worn as a bi-lateral, left, right or non-pocketed bra.
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lingerie
Coffee Cream
Get your coffee fix with this delightful bra and brief set in cappuccino colours. Sina bra Sizes: 32–42 A B C, 34–40 D Order code: 618 (mocca) Price: £25 Multi-option pockets*
Sina briefs Sizes: 8–18 Order code: 619 (mocca) Price: £12 Inc VAT
C h o c o l a t e D e li g h t !
Every girl’s greatest temptation, treat yourself to this gorgeous bra and brief set in rich chocolate. Tina bra Sizes: 34–44 B C D Order code: 638 (brown) Price: £25
V a nill a ic e
Delicate lace bra and brief set in the coolest vanilla shade. Kerry bra Sizes: 34–40 B C D DD Order code: 2244/2 (champagne) Price: £25 Multi-option pockets*
Multi-option pockets*
Tina briefs Sizes: 8–20 Order code: 641 (brown) Price: £12 Inc VAT
For details of our full range of lingerie please complete the coupon on page 55, telephone us on freephone 0800 0728866 or visit our website at www.amoena.co.uk. Or purchase online at www. amoena-online.co.uk *Multi-option pockets can be worn as a bi-lateral, left, right or non-pocketed bra. 12 |
amoena life autumn/winter 2007
Kerry briefs Sizes: S M L XL Order code: 2544/2 (champagne) Price: £12 Inc VAT
lingerie
Just Peachy!
Pure indulgence. This beautiful bra and brief set in the palest peach is currently available in sizes D, DD and E, but will also be available in B and C cups from Spring 2008. Emila bra Sizes: 34–42 D DD E Order code: 656 (pale peach) Price: £25 Multi-option pockets*
Emila briefs Sizes: 8–18 Order code: 657 (pale peach) Price: £12 Inc VAT
Whatever you like Scrumptious fabrics… delicious designs… Amoena’s matching bra and brief sets in mouth-watering shades bring a touch of glamour to your winter wardrobe
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in contact
in contact Do you have a story you’d like to share, some words of encouragement for other readers or a comment to make about any of the items featured in our magazine? Send your letters and photographs for inclusion in Amoena Life to: Rhoda White, Editor, Amoena (UK) Ltd, FREEPOST, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4BJ. Or email: rhoda.white@amoena.com
I feel back on top of life again
I evened up my figure and haven’t looked back
I was pleased to be passed a copy of your magazine and was especially interested in your article on lymphoedema.
I had my first mastectomy in March 2001 and starting receiving your magazine soon afterwards. I look forward to it as there are always such interesting articles. However, I always felt that my problem was unsolvable. As I had large breasts, to be left with just one brought a host of problems. I could not, however I tried, feel confident in the summer months. To wear a T-shirt was a nightmare, I could not remain level however I tried, and I constantly had a bulge of flesh at the top of my bra on my original breast, while (because the tumour in the removed breast had been high) I had a very flat, almost hollow, area in the same place on that side.
I had a lumpectomy in April 2006. Shortly after, having gone through a lot of pain, I was diagnosed with lymphoedema in the arm. After 5 weeks of radiotherapy (June/July) the breast settled down for a month but from September to December I was in agony. My doctor referred me to my specialist and as soon as he saw the breast he diagnosed oedema and I was referred to my lymphoedema nurse. She taught me to do MLD on myself; I use a long arm brush (£2.99 Superdrug) to do my back and sometimes the rest, it’s very soothing and I know it works. It means taking time and looking after yourself which comes hard to most of us, after a lifetime of caring for someone else. I was also recommended to go back to water movement classes. This is wonderful, I feel on top of it all again. I have met new friends who go to the pool and who have had breast cancer, and we help and advise each other. Thank you for a good magazine. Margaret Wood
‘ It means taking time and looking after yourself which comes hard to most of us, after a lifetime of caring for someone else.’ 14 |
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Two and a half years ago, I started to consider the possibility of having my existing breast removed, to give me confidence and balance – and the added bonus of removing the risk of cancer there. During
Elizabeth and her husband on holiday in Venice
my check-up that year I discussed it with the consultant, he agreed, and after twelve months of thought and discussion with my husband, I decided to go ahead. On March 22 this year I went into hospital and had my second mastectomy. Immediately after the operation I knew I had done the right thing. To have my body the same on both sides was a great feeling (some people of course achieve this through reconstruction – but that was not for me). I may not have any breasts now, but my body feels totally balanced. It was very difficult to go through the operation again, both physically and mentally, but I have the support of a wonderful husband, who is continually admiring my new figure. Whilst recovering from my second operation my darling husband surprised me with an early birthday present: he had booked a trip to Venice for us – a place I had long dreamt of visiting. We had the most amazing week, during which I never worried about my figure once. I was confident in my adopted ‘Dollys’ (as I call my prostheses) and I already love them as if they were my own. For the first time in six years I feel so confident; I have gone down a couple of sizes, which my friends tell me makes me look so much better. I hope my experience may be of help to someone else with the same problems – your magazine is fantastic. Elizabeth Helen Cooper
in contact
Amoena, I love you! Many thanks to the breast care nurse for giving me a copy of your magazine and you for producing such a wonderful publication; you have changed my life. I returned to the hospital with a leaking prosthesis and the nurse gave me a copy of your mag – that’s where I read about the ‘Classic Contact’. I can now wear clothes that don’t go up to my neck. I started with your Pamela bra range, then I’ve bought holiday wear this year that meant I didn’t have to wear a bra. I love you – for the first time in 12 years I don’t feel like a ‘grateful-to-bealive’ mutant! Every issue of your magazine just seems to get better; I always think I’ll write and say thank you for all your suggestions, and the next edition comes along with something even better. Little tricks like the suggestion of hiding a fat arm; I’m very conscious since surgery of one arm being larger than the other, but now I wear a bracelet or my watch on the other arm, and I’ve forgotten about the fat arm as my attention is automatically drawn away from it. One thing I have noticed is all the wonderful information about what breast forms are available, but some people may be put off by the cost and I wondered if it would be possible to include that they are available through the NHS hospital, FREE. Cost is very much an issue if you’re not working, your self esteem is low after surgery, and you can’t justify spending that amount of money. Every patient should be given a copy of your magazine – I’m just sorry I had to wait so long. Susan
Editor’s note: Amoena’s prostheses are available free of charge through the NHS; however, policy varies between hospitals as to how regularly breast forms can be changed, so check with your breast care nurse for more information.
Amoena Life winners Many thanks to everyone who completed our survey in issue 22 of Amoena Life. The lucky winners of our ‘It’s your Amoena Life’ prize draw are: Jo Limbert, Jayne Smith, Patricia J Smith, Mrs Greenwood, Mrs C A Ivell-Pickard, Mrs Anne Tipping
Real people do win prizes! Wow! I just don’t believe it – winning first prize of £250 – thank you so much! I am afraid I am a bit cynical as regards prize draws, so perhaps you might mention to your readers that ‘real people’ like me do get to win! I have had two mastectomies and have lymphoedema. I have just retired from work and was wondering how I was going to manage financially – so all in all this is fantastic. Thank for your wonderful publication – I really do read it from cover to cover – and thanks to all your lovely readers who write in; they are such an inspiration and help. Jo Limbert
Priceless I am writing to thank you for the wonderful news that I have won £50 in your prize draw. This came just as my fantastic husband told me he had booked us a holiday in July, one week after I finish my five years of tamoxifen. I am looking forward to buying something new to wear for my holiday as after 2 years on Zoladex injections, I have now finally managed to lose some weight. Thanks for bringing another smile to my face – keep up the fantastic work on a magazine that is simply priceless. Jayne Smith
A liberating experience I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2004; a mastectomy and radiotherapy followed. To help me cope I sought the help of a homeopath. My trips to her prior to surgery helped me with the emotional trauma, and the remedies I took post-operatively helped the wound heal very quickly, with hardly any scar tissue. Later I was prescribed homeopathic remedies to take during radiotherapy to reduce its ill effects. Interestingly, a few days before my radiotherapy finished I experienced burning for the first time. I switched to a homeopathic ointment made from stinging nettles and experienced no more burning sensation or visible signs of burning.
Lynda goes ‘au naturelle’
My diet is largely vegetarian with occasional fish. To help the immune system I take large doses of vitamin C, zinc, omega 3&6, vitamin E and other supplements recommended by a naturopath. I have not ignored the best of conventional treatment and continue to take Arimidex. I also do lymph drainage massage daily – not that I have lymphoedema, but every little helps! In spite of the trauma, in many ways the experience of the last three years has been liberating. Reading about other women’s experiences in your magazine has also helped. Emotionally I feel wonderful thanks to a good relationship. Last year, he and I went on holiday and found the hotel was near a naturist beach. Even though I have two very beautiful Amoena swimming costumes, without thinking twice I stripped off and walked leisurely to the sea to swim – something I would not have dared do previously. Even if I looked an odd sixty year-old, I did not feel it. I enclose a photo which I hope will encourage other ladies not to be self-conscious because of their surgery. Lynda Eastwell
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in contact
From a true survivor In 1963 at the age of 33 I had breast cancer. My children were aged 7, 6 and 4 years old. However I had a radical operation removing the breast and lymph nodes on the right side. I had radiotherapy for a month. It was about 17 years before I had trouble with my arm. I had cut it and then done some gardening, during which I got some dirt in the cut. My arm was in a dreadful state. I had cellulitus, a bad infection. Then I went to the lymphoedema clinic at our hospital. I was given a special sleeve which I have been having changed when needed since. I go to the clinic every 4 months. A couple of years ago the nurse decided to try this new treatment. It meant bandaging the arm as shown in the photograph. I had to go every day to have it changed for a fortnight. I’ve had that treatment twice, but my arm is still quite swollen, although it did help. It’s now 44 years since I had my mastectomy, so at 77 years old I feel truly thankful that I have seen my family grow up – now we have five grandchildren and one great grandchild. bandaging Doris has tried a new type of ema hoed lymp her for
Your magazine is great and I do look forward to reading it, there is always something we can learn from it. Mrs Doris Dawson
Brilliant summer issue! Thank you for another brilliant issue of Amoena Life! It is indispensable reading for anyone who has had breast cancer and I have recommended it to many of my friends. From your latest issue, I learnt so much that the wonderful medical team that treated me did not get round to telling me. For starters, I was concerned I possibly had lymphoedema under my arm from the single mastectomy and axial clearance. Now I know, gratefully, that what I have is a dog ear and what’s more, I know how it can be surgically corrected, should I want to go down that route, and what that correction would entail. The real life photos of this sort of thing help enormously, too. From this issue, I have: • sent off for the Breast Cancer Haven ‘Lymphoedema Awareness’ DVD • found out where I can have the myofascial release physiotherapy of Willie Fourie • followed up on Funky Bra Straps (what a clever idea – I never thought of those as a solution to the now ever-present straps!) • bought some self-adhesive tapes to keep those same straps tamed and to stop necklines gaping • bought some Amoena lacy camisole inserts (stickon tape will save sewing them in) to stop those wayward necklines again! • ordered a new Amoena bra • told a friend who is suffering from nerve pain she might like to try St John’s Wort Oil as recommended on your letters page. And that’s not to mention how much I enjoy the fashion pages and general glamour – and the real help the magazine gives in enabling readers to become part of an ‘emotional community’ and share responses to their treatment. Fantastic! Emma Davis
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Emma loved the summer issu e of Amoena Life
Lesley gained a 2-1 BA in English last year
Believe in yourself I am writing in response to your article in issue 24 – ‘Is breast cancer the ultimate wake-up call?’ I had my first diagnosis of ductile cancer in 1994 and a lumpectomy in the December of that year. Apart from all the usual feelings of devastation and the ‘why me’ calls to all and sundry, I got on with my life of nursing and caring for others. Four years ago I noticed a change in the nipple of the same right breast and just ‘kept an eye on it,’ as we say. It was not going away; I had to do something. I again went through all the usual procedures with the ‘waiting game’ that we all play. Needless to say it had to be a mastectomy this time, but I also felt that it was a test. A test of me as a person and a test of my faith, in God, my family and my friends. I resigned from my job as a practice nurse; I didn’t at that point know what my future was going to be and I was trying to be fair to everyone, especially my employers. Following my operation in January 2003, I felt very positive about my future. Our daughter was taking a BA Hons English degree at our local university and encouraged me to do the same. I gained a 2-1 BA in English last year and am now working towards an MA in Medieval Studies. I am having a great time and have enjoyed every moment of my new lease of life. Do not ever think that you would like to do something but are not capable. YOU ARE, I was. Lesley Peacey
fashion
Orange silk top, £39; grey high waisted trousers, £39, both from Principles
V I NTAG E FAS H IO N
Let’s go round again! Fashion’s lasting passion with all things ‘vintage’ shows no sign of slowing down. You might think you can’t get away with a look if you wore it the first time around but fear not, you can still wear it again – you just need to know how to work it. Here, five of our former cover girls show you how to bring a modern twist to the fashions of yesteryear.
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fashion
Givenchy pioneered the gamine look for Audrey Hepburn and it’s been a great favourite with slim, smart ladies ever since. Here, a fabulous pair of chunky patent ‘mary-janes’ replaces the classic stilettos for a fashionforward twist. Go large with this great patent bag. Red over-sized bag, £25, Simply Be
Julie, aged 46, wears: Black check dress, £59, Principles. Black check jacket, £69, Principles. Black patent court shoes, £75, Carvella. All available from John Lewis.
1 9 50 s
A sexy pair of black stockings and a court shoe complete your look. Try a wedge, peep toe or pair of maryjanes as an alternative to the traditional court shoe. Lola wedge, £40, Monsoon (top left). Patent peep toe court, £28, Barratts (left)
BREAKFAST AT GET T H E LO O K If you don’t think you’ve got the figure for this look, fake it with clever lingerie. Try a padded T-shirt bra, control briefs or a slip for a perfect silhouette.
TIFFANY’S Bright accessories lift the look – try this silver ball bracelet. Roller ball bracelets, £9, Accessorize
Half slip with all-round stretch control, £16, from Fifty-plus.co.uk
Take inspiration from A-list celebrities and wear a pair of killer sunglasses all year round! The bigger the better, for that movie star look. Tortoise shell sunglasses, £55, French Connection
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fashion
G E T T H E LO O K A pretty wrap makes a great cover-up – particularly if you have lymphoedema. Choose either a plain colour in a toning shade or a complementary pattern.
Lacy lingerie was just made for this gorgeous dress. Sina bra and brief set, £25 bra/£12 briefs inc VAT, from Amoena
Metallic floral scarf, £10, Accessorize
1950s
SEVEN YEAR
ITCH Sparkle softly in this delicious heart cluster necklace. Heart cluster necklace, £15, Accessorize
The glamorous girlie dress never really goes out of fashion. And while we didn’t ask Lyn to stand over a subway grating, we did steal a lot of Marilyn’s feminine appeal with this silky dress and pretty high-heeled sandals. Bare legs work well with this look – try some fake tan to keep yours sleek.
No ladylike outfit is complete without the perfect scent. Cassis Rose Eau de Toilette 30ml, £7.50, The Body Shop
Lyn, aged 50, wears: Satin rose dress, £159, Hobbs. Purple sandals, £115, Hobbs. Purple suede handbag, £99, Hobbs. All available from John Lewis.
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fashion
GET THE LOOK Slip a toning camisole underneath your wrap dress for a sophisticated solution to lower necklines or, for a really current look this winter, trying wearing it over a polo neck jumper.
Stacked out – this fabulous tan, stackheeled, platform boot is so 70s. Tan boots, £150, French Connection
Camisole top, £20, Amoena
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IT’S A WRAP! A chunky necklace adds the perfect finishing touch to your outfit. Wood beaded necklace, £12, Freedom at Topshop. Mirrored necklace, £14, Accessorize
The wrap dress is enjoying a long and hugely successful revival. Diane von Furstenberg started it in the 1970s, and now it seems no woman’s wardrobe is complete without this versatile, flattering and very easy-towear dress. A great winter wardrobe staple – pop a camisole underneath for modesty and update with the latest knee-high boots.
Pick and mix – bags are a great way to accessorise any outfit. Selection of bags £45–£100, from Dune
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Wendy, aged 68, wears: Spot wrap dress, £75, Phase Eight. Tan boots, £135, Nine West. Brown bag, £95 and brown necklace, £12. All available from John Lewis.
fashion
Why oh why did the smock ever go out of style? Forgiving, flattering and just plain easy to wear, this one has great appeal thanks to its strong colours and beautifully draped sleeves. It’s no wonder they were so popular this summer. Wear yours with jeans for a look that will take you into autumn with casual ease. Eileen, aged 41, wears: Smock top, £39, Principles. Black jeans, £39, Principles. Both available from John Lewis.
Double oval earrings, £7, Accessorize
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SMOCK THERAPY Organic triple drop metal necklace, £12, Freedom at Topshop
GET THE LOOK A smock top is the perfect solution if you’ve suffered weight gain while taking tamoxifen. For a look that’s right on-trend, pick bold prints and accessorise with chunky jewellery. For a more classic look, try a plain colour in a softly draping fabric and add simple jewellery in silver or gold tones. Print smock top, Principles (right) Cotton smock top, £18, Littlewoods (left)
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fashion
The whole shoe craze really kicked off in the 80s – indulge your inner Imelda with this fab selection. Suede shoes, £30, New Look
1980s
COLOUR ME
GET THE LOOK If bright colours are too strong for you, muted shades work just as well, or try black or brown and accessorise with a bright scarf or belt. If lymphoedema is a problem, try a jacket with wide sleeves. White cropped jacket, £25, Internacionale
STUNNING! Bold, block colour was never so beautiful! There’s no hint of scary over-padded shoulders or Mrs Thatcher’s cement-hard beehive about Jenny’s lovely look here. Choose a bright hue that suits your skintone and work it with a perfect cropped jacket (both swing and fitted shapes are good) that will update your jeans, skirts and dresses.
Jenny, aged 64, wears: Sulphur jacket, £159, Hobbs. Blue camisole top, £25, Hobbs. Petrol/sulphur print skirt, £69, Hobbs. Petrol scarf, £35, Hobbs. Black court shoes, Hobbs. All available from John Lewis.
A squashy big bag in patent is very fashion forward. Pipa tote, £40, Monsoon
If you prefer flats there are masses out there – just remember to be bold! Patent pumps, £8, Matalan
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fashion
Colour block printed smock, £55 from Long Tall Sally
Print dress, £35; Black leggings, £14 both from Simply Be
Black turtle neck, £16; Shift dress, £24; Orange mac, £55 all from Evans
Retro print jersey dress, £80; Bead knot necklace, £40 both from Country Casuals
INSIDER DEALING ‘You’ll never get me into a miniskirt again!’ ‘70s prints seem so old-fashioned now!’ ‘Can leggings really be back?’
I
t’s easy to understand the horror that some returning trends inspire in a lot of women, particularly if they wore the look when it was first fashionable. Of course no-one wants to be accused of looking like they’re caught in a time warp. But it’s good to remember that nothing ever comes back exactly the same – fabrics change, and so does the way we put clothes together. And these days almost anything goes, which is great news if you find a look that really suits you. We asked Amoena Life stylist, Christina Relf, for her top tips on working the vintage look. • Keep it light: The secret of reviving a trend from a previous decade is to do it with insouciance and not a little irony. Never stick doggedly to exactly the formula you used last time – for example, the ‘big T-shirt over dark leggings worn with flat shoes’ combo that got so many of us through the 80s,’ she says. ‘If you wear leggings this time around, you’ll probably be teaming them with a miniskirt, dress or a long, floaty top. • Cut, fabric and colour are key: When you do vintage, you don’t want to look as though you’ve stepped out of the pages of the fashion magazines of the era. So to keep it modern make sure the cut, colour and material are fresh and right for you. Your hair, make-up and accessories should be up-to-date too. No-one would expect you to team a 60s shift with white tights and spidery false eye-lashes a la Twiggy, or sport Farah’s flicks or Purdy’s bowl-cut bob – although you can nod to the past with make-up and hair, as our pictures show.
• Don’t do the vintage look head-to-toe: Another way to make past trends fresh is to use just one vintage-style piece at a time – putting a smock top with your favourite jeans, for example, or wearing ankle boots with a chunky knitted dress. • Tap into past trends by adding just one fabulous piece: If a trend seems too scary on the catwalk, try adding just a touch here and there to update your look. Black is back, but head-to-toe might be too much for you – experiment by combining textures such as a chiffon shirt and knitted skirt.
Emerald spot blouse, £70; Donegal tweed shift dress, £110; Wide patent belt, £25 all from Country Casuals
• Wear it differently: Patent leather is big news this season, although you may want to invest in that look by just buying a great pair of shoes, a belt or a bag. Similarly, if block colours feel overwhelming, a cropped or boxy jacket in a juicy shade can add just the right amount of modernity to your jeans or favourite dress without overdoing things. • Get advice: If you’re nervous about updating your look it pays to seek expert advice. If you can’t afford the luxury of a full session with an image consultant (see www.tfic.org.uk), free fashion advice is available on the high street. John Lewis offer a fashion advisory service at most of their stores around the UK and Debenhams’ personal shopping service is available in over 60 of their stores nationwide. As well as advising you on updating your look, a fashion advisor or personal shopper also takes the stress out of shopping by doing the legwork for you, while you sit and relax in the comfort of your own private dressing room! Both services are free, fun and there is no obligation to purchase. For more information contact John Lewis (tel: 08456 049 049 web: www.johnlewis.com) or Debenhams (tel: 0844 5616161 web: www.debenhams.com).
Orange silk top, £39; Grey high waisted trousers, £39, Orange bag, £32 all from Principles
Stockists
Amoena (tel: 0800 0726636, web: www.amoena-online.co.uk) Debenhams (tel: 0844 5616161 web: www.debenhams.com) Fifty-Plus (tel: 0871 231 2000 web: www.fifty-plus.co.uk) John Lewis (tel: 08456 049 049 web: www.johnlewis.com) Principles (tel: 0870 122 8802 web: www.principles.co.uk) Simply Be (tel: 0871 231 5000 web: www.simplybe.co.uk)
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Alison Speirs is an information development nurse at Cancerbackup, a national charity providing information and practical advice to anyone affected by cancer. She has nursed for over 16 years, eight of them as a specialist in cancer care, and has a masters degree in cancer nursing. Helpline: 0808 800 1234 or visit www.cancerbackup.org.uk
Image consultant to stars and non-celebs alike for over 30 years, fashion guru Patrick Swan runs workshops around the country, regularly appears on television and radio as a fashion and beauty expert, and works with patients at the Breast Cancer Haven in London. Tel: 0207 837 8363 or visit www.patrickswan.com
Loretta Pitt is Amoena’s sales director. Her in-depth knowledge and extensive experience of the breast form industry informs much of the company’s new product development. Loretta also specialises in dealing with difficult fitting situations. Tel: 0800 0728866 or visit www.amoena.co.uk
meet the panel
At the age of 39 Laurel Alexander was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following recovery she qualified in stress management therapy, reflexology, nutritional therapy and Reiki. She works with breast cancer clients at her healthcare practice in Brighton, providing complementary therapy treatments and support. Tel: 01273 564030 or visit www.laurelalexander.co.uk
ask the experts Do you have a question you’d like to ask our panel of experts? Each issue, we publish questions and answers on a range of topics. All of our regular panellists are experts in their field, so whether it’s questions about your treatment, your breast form, your emotional well-being, complementary medicines, fashion or finance, just drop us a line and we’ll try to help.
Y O U R H E A LT H
Pregnancy fears My daughter is pregnant and has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Are breast cancers which appear during pregnancy worse than those in women who are not pregnant? Do they behave more aggressively? VB
Alison replies Breast cancer in pregnancy is uncommon and because of this, the relatively small number of women in this situation has made it difficult to produce absolutely reliable statistics. In recent years, however, a number of studies have been done comparing women whose breast cancers have been discovered during pregnancy with other women of a similar age who have developed the condition but were not pregnant. Before these studies were done there was a general belief among specialists that breast cancers discovered during pregnancy carried a worse outlook than
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normal. What the recent results have shown is that it does seem that women who are found to have breast cancer while they are pregnant do not seem to do so well, but this is not because their cancers are more aggressive but because, on average, they tend to be more advanced at the time they are diagnosed than the cancers discovered in women of a similar age who are not pregnant. This means that for a women who is pregnant and found to have a small breast cancer with no sign of spread, her chances of successful treatment and cure will be just as good as those of a woman who is not pregnant with a similar cancer. In the same way, if the cancer is a little more advanced, with evidence of spread to the nearby lymph nodes, the outcome of treatment will be the same whether the woman is pregnant or not. But during pregnancy the chances of the tumour being ‘early’ and very small when it is discovered are less likely. The most likely reason for this is that there is a delay in making the diagnosis. This is partly because the breasts enlarge (often doubling in volume) during the course of a pregnancy and this increase in size, together with other
changes in the breast, tends to hide any signs of breast cancer. There is certainly good evidence from the studies that it takes longer to make a diagnosis of breast cancer in women who are pregnant and this extra time does seem sufficient to explain why the cancers are often at a later stage when they are finally confirmed. So, overall, pregnancy does not make the breast cancer behave any worse, or any better, than it would have done if the woman was not pregnant and the results of treatment can still be very successful.
Financial expert Ron Moonesinghe has over 23 years’ experience in the insurance industry, and set up The Insurance Helpline to assist people with pre-existing medical conditions in securing affordable insurance cover. Tel: 0800 377 7763, or visit www.theinsurancehelpline.co.uk*
*Totally Insured Group Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority
Ronnie Kaye is an American psychotherapist, two-time breast cancer survivor and best-selling author of Spinning Straw into Gold: Your Emotional Recovery from Breast Cancer, available from www.amazon.co.uk. With a focus on emotional wellness, Ronnie’s extensive work with breast cancer patients includes individual and family counselling, support groups, workshops and lectures
ask the experts
YOUR PRODUCTS
Hard-wired
YOUR STYLE
I’ve heard rumours that underwired bras can cause breast cancer, and that it’s bad to wear one when you’ve had a mastectomy. Is this just an urban myth? Jill
Christmas cheer I was interested to read the advice on how to wear low cut tops after mastectomy in the last issue of Amoena Life – particularly the fashion tape, which I’ve found to be a godsend. However, eveningwear always tends to be low and I still want to look fashionable. Are there any styles around this season for women who can’t show off their cleavage? Stephanie Giles
Patrick replies Don’t feel you have to wear low cut tops or dresses just because the invitation says ‘evening wear’! Put the focus on other areas of your body and explore some of the fab options around for the coming season. If you’ve got great shoulders, consider a high-necked sleeveless top – you could exchange your ordinary bra straps for decorative ones (from www. glamorousbrastraps.co.uk) or try wearing a Contact breast form with a strapless bra. And if you love your legs, try a short-sleeved shift dress. Keep jewellery to a minimum for a sophisticated look. Smock tops have been big this summer and the trend is bound to continue into autumn. For evening, look for simple styles that you can wear over black trousers – straight or cropped would be perfect. If the neckline is lower than you’d like, remember a camisole or strappy vest works well under styles like this. Waists are still big (or small!) this season, so if
Loretta replies It definitely is an urban myth that underwired bras can cause breast cancer. The charity Breast Cancer Care has the following to say: ‘There is no evidence to suggest wearing a tight fitting bra or an underwired bra can cause breast cancer,’ and Breakthrough says: ‘There is no convincing scientific or clinical evidence to support this claim and you should not be concerned about wearing any type of bra.’
Silver lace dres
s,
£69, Principles you’ve got the figure for it invest in a wide leather belt with diamante trim and cinch in a simple black dress or pair a lovely long-sleeved blouse with a neat straight skirt and work the Lauren Bacall look – you’ll have them eating out of your hands! Block colour is big for winter – think purple (there’s bound to be a shade to suit you) or red – and black is definitely back. Metallics are still shimmering on, and there are some softer variations like pewter and bronze. If you’re going metallic, confine it to one garment (like a great top), or alternatively you can do metallic with shoes or bags.
However, sometimes your surgeon or breast care nurse will advise you not to wear an underwired bra after mastectomy or reconstruction, and this might be because you have uneven scar tissue and they are concerned that underwiring may cause unnecessary pressure and discomfort. For the same reason, you should avoid wearing an underwired bra until your scar is fully healed. Obviously the advice of your medical team is gospel. However, if you haven’t been told you can’t wear underwiring, the choice is yours.
Accessories make an outfit, so invest in some good shoes – platform heels are still hot (keep the lines clean and elegant) or consider a breathtaking pair of evening boots – and a neat evening bag (jewelled or metallic clutches are great). Add a simple piece of statement jewellery – a great necklace or some bold earrings, or perhaps a gorgeous cuff to emphasise a delicate wrist, and off you go!
Quite simply, underwiring is popular because it gives a great shape! The gentle plastic ‘wire’ used in Amoena’s bras is perfectly safe to wear with your breast form because it’s designed specifically for that purpose. The cups are broad enough to hold the breast form without the wiring digging in or damaging it. You might also feel that the underwiring gives you better support, keeping the breast form in place and ensuring that both your breasts have the same shape and outline.
Send your questions to Ask the Experts, at Amoena (UK) Ltd, FREEPOST, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4BJ or email rhoda.white@amoena.com. We regret that our experts are unable to reply individually to letters. Please remember that the advice given in Amoena Life is no substitute for that given by your medical team, who you should consult with any health Gold warrior neck dress, issues or matters relating to your diagnosis and treatment. £75, Principles
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special feature
Celebrating 25 issues of Amoena Life magazine
Here’s to you Mrs Robinson! 26 |
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special feature
In October 1992 the first ever issue of Amoena Life – then known as Inform – was published. 25 issues later, we’ve gone from a four-page newsletter to a 56-page glossy lifestyle magazine. Now, as then, it’s your magazine. Here’s how you (and Mrs Robinson) have helped shape it over the past 15 years.
O
pen any of the recent issues of Amoena Life and you’ll see everything you’d expect in a glossy magazine for women. There’s beauty and product news, fashion spreads, real life stories, reader makeovers, letters pages and feature articles. In fact, the only difference between Amoena Life and any other women’s publication is that it is just for women who’ve had breast cancer. Yet it didn’t start out as a glossy lifestyle journal. ‘In the early days, Inform was little more than a four page newsletter providing fitting tips and product news for breast care nurses and their patients,’ explains Rhoda White, who has edited the magazine since its inception in 1992. ‘I never dreamed that 15 years later it would be transformed into something that would be at home on any coffee table.’ So what changed the publication from a fitting leaflet to a women’s magazine? ‘Actually, it was all down to Mrs Robinson,’ explains Rhoda. ‘She wrote to us after we featured a letter from a reader who mentioned in passing that she’d had her surgery 10 years before.’ Although today this probably doesn’t sound too unusual, back in the early 90s breast cancer was still a taboo subject that was seldom mentioned in the media. There were certainly no survivor or celebrity stories, no Breast Cancer Awareness month, no internet and very little in the way of support.
‘For women at that time a breast cancer diagnosis was a very isolating experience; you just didn’t hear about women who had survived breast cancer long-term. Mrs Robinson was so encouraged to hear positive news for a change she wondered whether there were any other women who had survived as long as this who would be happy to share their stories,’ continues Rhoda. ‘I published her letter not really knowing what to expect. But within two weeks I had received over a hundred letters from women who had been diagnosed ten, twenty, even thirty years before! Every writer begged me to send a copy of their letter on to Mrs Robinson so that she would know there was hope for a long future after breast cancer.’ A leap of faith
Rhoda was so encouraged by this outpouring that she decided to feature some of the letters in the next issue, although her decision wasn’t popular with everyone. ‘My boss at the time thought I was mad,’ laughs Rhoda. ‘He said “you can’t possibly be considering printing so many letters that essentially say the same thing.” He thought women wouldn’t want to read them.’ But Rhoda was convinced she was on to something. ‘It was obvious to me that women wanted to share their stories and experiences, so despite my boss’s misgivings I went ahead and published extracts from about thirty of the letters we received.’ So who was proved right? ‘The floodgates opened and letters came pouring in,’ Rhoda enthuses. ‘The topics were varied – some
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special feature
were seeking reassurance and others wanted to give encouragement, but most just wanted to connect with other women who could identify with what they were going through.’ And so, thanks to Mrs Robinson, our ‘Write Back’ readers’ forum was born. ‘It’s as popular today as it was back then,’ says Rhoda, who still receives around 400 letters every year. ‘I hate the fact that I can’t publish every letter we receive – but if I did, the magazine would be the size of a telephone directory!’ As Inform (and Write Back) continued to grow in popularity, women started asking for more information on certain subjects. At about this time, Amoena’s head office in Germany also recognised the need for a magazine for women who had breast cancer and, as a result, ‘Amoena Life’ – the first ever glossy lifestyle magazine for breast-operated women – was introduced in 2002. A s ta r i s b o r n
The new format proved very popular, and ideas for different features and articles came rolling in. Women wanted to hear about the side effects of drugs like tamoxifen, how to cope with hair loss during chemotherapy, what options were open to them for reconstruction (and what the results would really look like). ‘In those days I would research and write the articles myself, choose the photos, help decide on the design – do pretty much everything.’ But as the content increased, Rhoda – who is also Amoena’s marketing manager and until recently ran the company’s busy customer service department – decided that more help was needed and in 2003 Christina Relf, a freelance journalist, joined the team as our resident features writer. ‘We were so lucky to find Christina,’ says Rhoda. ‘Her mum was diagnosed with breast cancer when Christina was in her 20s and I knew immediately that she had a real understanding about the issues women face following diagnosis. An added bonus is that Christina is also a fully trained image consultant, which is great for our fashion features and make-overs!’ In many ways, Amoena Life was ahead of its time. ‘We’ve taken some very bold decisions during the last few years,’ says Rhoda. ‘For example, the first time we featured photos of women’s scarring we
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weren’t sure how this would be received. But on the whole our readers really appreciated seeing the realities of surgery (both good and bad). Of course, it doesn’t seem ground-breaking now that we’re used to seeing reality TV shows like ‘How to look good naked’ and ads like Dove’s ‘Campaign for Real Beauty,’ proving that we want to see real women, not unrealistic air-brushed images. But I think this is even more important for women who’ve had breast cancer. They want to see how fashions will look on them following surgery, or how to adapt a look so that it will work even if you have lymphoedema. ‘We’ve always chosen breast operated women – of all ages, shapes and sizes – for our front cover models,’ says Rhoda. ‘After all, that’s what we’re all about. We’ve also started using models to illustrate our
Breaking taboos
Amoena Life has always wanted to demonstrate that breast surgery doesn’t have to compromise a woman’s femininity and sensuality. Julie was our first ‘topless model’. When Rhoda originally contacted Julie back in 2003 to ask if she’d be happy to be photographed naked, she thought Julie might take some persuading. ‘After all’ says Rhoda, ‘it’s not the sort of thing you ask people to do every day.’ Obviously she didn’t know Julie that well, though! ‘Just tell me when and where – I’d love to!’ was Julie’s response. Julie has always been very comfortable with her body, both before and after surgery, and was thrilled to be able to show women that you can still feel good about yourself after a mastectomy. ‘The shoot was really liberating. I’m proud of my body and I didn’t feel that my mastectomy compromised my femininity at all,’ she says. ‘The pictures were fantastic,’ continues Rhoda, ‘and really helped to illustrate our article Beauty and the breast, which was about learning to love your body again after breast cancer. We had a great response from readers, who really appreciated seeing Julie being so confident in baring all despite her surgery.’ Not content with breaking one taboo, Julie took things a step further for us in issue 19, when she posed (naked again!) with her partner Steve for our feature on relationships. Steve took a little more persuading than Julie, but he warmed to it as the day went on! ‘I was happy to do it because I have always found Julie attractive, and her mastectomy didn’t affect that at all. I wanted to show other men out there that women can still be sexy after breast cancer,’ he says.
special feature
Born to shop?
Reader makeovers have proved to be one of the magazine’s biggest hits. We want to show that women can still look fabulous after breast surgery, and readers love to see ordinary women like themselves transformed into fashion models for the day! When you meet Judith Cochrane today you see an outgoing woman who knows she looks good and is confident about how to make the most of herself. But that wasn’t the woman we met when she turned up at the photo shoot for issue 23 last summer. Judith, who was given a makeover in Fashion fixes and modelled in To the manor born, takes up the story. ‘I really lost confidence in my looks after my surgery in 2000,’ she says. ‘I wrote to Amoena bemoaning my lymphoedema, one very small pathetic breast, cellulite, flabby big hips and low slung bum! I really didn’t think there was any hope. But then Christina got her hands on me and I haven’t looked back. It was such a wonderful day – everyone makes a real fuss of you, from hair and make-up to fitting and styling the breast form, lingerie and clothes, and then of course posing for the camera.
when Amoena asked me to model again for the 25th edition of the magazine, I jumped at the chance. I had seen how good they’d made me look last time! ‘I always used to hate clothes shopping but I love it now I know what suits me. I’ve got the confidence to choose the right clothes in the knowledge that I can carry them off. For me, one of the biggest bonuses of having my makeover was being able to choose just the right outfit for my son’s wedding this summer. I knew the colours to head for, the styles that would suit, and how to accessorise my outfit. Nothing can beat the feeling of getting an outfit just right – particularly for such an important occasion. If anyone gets the chance to have a makeover with Amoena I’d say don’t miss it – you’ll have the time of your life!’
‘ For me, one of the biggest bonuses of having my makeover was being able to choose just the right outfit for my son’s wedding this summer. I knew the colours to head for, the styles that would suit, and how to accessorise my outfit.’
‘I just couldn’t believe the photos – my husband came along to the shoot and he was amazed too. I was on a high for weeks. I had been really hesitant about modelling but
fashion spreads and features – although the costs of organising photo shoots means we can’t do this in every issue. And we’ll never run out of models – we had the most amazing response from readers when we asked for volunteers last year!’ The magazine still runs on limited resources, and Rhoda and Christina (with the help of Rhoda’s assistant Carol Childs) have to plan and compile the magazine around other work commitments. But all of them agree that the rewards are so worthwhile. ‘It’s great to receive letters from readers telling us how much the magazine has helped them on their breast cancer journey. A diagnosis of breast cancer is such a devastating experience, and all of us who work on producing the magazine consider it a real privilege to be able to help in some small way,’ says Rhoda.
Move over, Vogue!
Amoena Life, in its various forms, has come a long way in 15 years. From an initial circulation of around 500, we now have a readership of over 90,000. And there’s no doubt in Rhoda’s mind that we simply couldn’t do it without you. ‘Right from the start, the magazine has been all about our readers. And that’s still true today,’ she says. ‘Thanks to their input and commitment we’re able to ensure that our features are based on real-life experiences – something that every other women’s magazine now strives to do.’ And so, as we raise a glass to 15 years of Amoena Life, it’s here’s to you, Mrs Robinson, for unwittingly influencing the direction of the magazine all those years ago. And here’s to you, all our fabulous readers, for making Amoena Life what it is today.
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advertising promotion
high street brands. We talked to two leading manufacturers of organic personal care products, founded by pioneering women who have devoted themselves to creating beautiful no-compromise products which deliver proven purity and performance.
Not only do organic beauty products use the purest ingredients, these days they’re also glamorous, high performance and very ‘A-list’. What’s not to love about them?
So good, it’s utterly organic When only the purest will do
C
elebrities from Sienna Miller to Gwyneth Paltrow are clamouring for organic skincare and cosmetics, which has surely helped organics swap their image almost overnight from muddy wellies to Jimmy Choos. And while we know that where the A-list leads the rest of us will surely follow, in this case it’s not just fashion or advertising hype. Going organic becomes compelling when you want to invest in your well being. Supremely so, when you are dealing with the effects of cancer.
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When you think that up to 60% of what you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream, and that the personal care and cosmetics industry is largely unregulated in terms of the preservatives and other chemicals it uses (many of which are known carcinogens), organic alternatives – which contain only the purest, safest ingredients – become the intelligent choice. In choosing them these days, we also expect our organic products to be as sophisticated, pleasurable, elegant and demonstrably effective as conventional
‘When your immune system is lowered, you become far more discerning about the personal care items you buy – you’re not using products in a casual way any more, and the purity of their ingredients becomes paramount.’ says Susi Lennox. Susi and her business partner Sarah Brooks have created and developed Yes – the world’s first and only certified organic intimate moisturiser and lubricant. Utterly unique, Yes is pure, safe and effective, and since its launch in 2006 it has attracted a dedicated base of devotees. Yes tackles one of the most uncomfortable effects of breast cancer treatment in a refreshingly pure and effective way. ‘We say that Yes changes your world from the inside, and we are empowering women to choose and use it with confidence,’ says Susi.
‘When the discomfort of vaginal dryness means that you need intimate lubrication, naturally you look for a product that respects the delicacy of your vaginal tissues, and nourishes them safely and sensitively. A woman’s mucus membranes deserve special consideration as having no protective outer layer of skin, they are particularly vulnerable to ingredients which cause irritation, and can easily have their vital pH balance disturbed.’ A certified organic product is the only way you can be sure of absolute purity. Being certified as organic by the Soil Association is proof that Yes contains no hormones, parabens, petrochemicals, genetically modified ingredients, hidden chemicals or ingredients that are known to be skin irritants or that may cause health concerns. It also contains no sugars or glycerin (which can cause/feed thrush). ‘The Soil Association
Beyond organic
High performance is also a priority for Abi Weeds, who founded specialist organic skincare company, Essential Care, with her herbalist/aromatherapist mother, Margaret, in 2004.
upholds the strictest standards, so obtaining its certification was an essential validation for us,’ says Susi. ‘Wherever you see its symbol, you have the guarantee and reassurance that you’re buying an authentically organic product. Women with breast cancer-related problems know that they cannot afford to gamble with their health, and rightly insist on products which deliver powerful results in the most gentle fashion. Organic Yes can be a boon as it has a dual action of being both a vaginal moisturiser and a discreet lubricant. This versatility, together with its absolute purity, make it unique.’ With such impressive product benefits it is no wonder that Yes has been acclaimed by women who’ve had breast cancer. With the often aggressive and sudden onslaught of menopausal symptoms brought about by their treatment, many women experience such dryness and discomfort that even walking can be difficult – let alone lovemaking. Because Yes is so pure it offers fast relief, can be used wherever and whenever you need it, freely and frequently. It doesn’t smell, taste or leave an unpleasant residue. As it is astonishingly like the body’s own lubrication, this can be very releasing if you’ve been dismayed by your body not behaving or responding as it used to. ‘We know that Yes helps because of the ‘Yestimonials’ we’ve had from delighted women’ says Susi, ‘It’s been hailed as a life- and marriage-saver; women have told us that Yes not only feels great, it makes them feel healthier internally, taking away pain, soreness and itching. They’ve confirmed that it’s as close to nature as you could possibly get, and very clean and easy to use.’
‘We’ve found that making skincare with organically grown plants and no synthetic additives results in a more effective product,’ she says. ‘Organic crops have a higher vitamin content than intensively grown ones and are certainly more nutritious than the dead petrochemicals upon which conventional skincare is based. The organic herbs and oils Essential Care uses are carefully extracted so as to leave their nutritional benefit intact – useful goodies such as omega 7, polyphenols and other antioxidants that fight free-radicals and help prevent premature skin-ageing.’
At present Yes is available online, by phone and through mail order, but very soon you’ll see Yes’s exquisite turquoise and cream packaging nestling alongside familiar skincare and beauty products in selective nationwide outlets. Benign ingredients, d i v i n e r e s u lt s
She urges caution when choosing organic products, however: ‘The quality of ‘organic’ skincare can vary widely. A legal loophole means that beauty brands can describe any product that is fragranced with just a drop of organic essential oil as ‘organic’, even those that contain potentially carcinogenic chemicals.’ Not so Essential Care. ‘We voluntarily certified our products with the Soil Association to prove that they are truly organic and free from harmful substances,’ says Abi.
When you’re recovering from breast cancer it’s great to find products that perform so well and are a genuine pleasure to use, while restoring the inner and outer woman: a combined vaginal moisturiser and lubricant that can help you feel more feminine and relaxed again, and a range of handmade skincare and haircare products that not only smell divine (you’ll love the potent aromas from those essential oils) but actually help deliver that elusive youthful glow. Easy to buy, healthy and effective, there’s never been a better time to go organic. After all, how often do you come across something so deliciously self-indulgent that’s actually good for you too?
Essential Care has also recognised the need for organic skincare to have shelf appeal. Re-launched in smart but eco-friendly packaging in 2007, Essential Care looks classy as well as delivering powerfully pure results. Their best-sellers? Rose Moisturiser with uplifting, rejuvenating and (at £5,000 a kilo) precious organic rose oil, a finalist in this year’s Organic Beauty awards and great value at £14.95 for 50ml. Also their shampoos – the only ones ever to be Soil Association approved. Customers highly recommend them for sensitive scalps – a great way to nurture your scalp through chemotherapy, they cleanse gently and, being packed full of nutritious biodynamic herbs, help condition the hair too.
C o n ta c t s
YES: mail order & stockists Tel 0845 094 1141 or www.yesyesyes.org Essential Care: mail order & stockists Tel. 01638 716593 or www.essential-care.co.uk The Soil Association Tel 0117 314 5000 or www.soilassociation.org
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amoena products
If you felt you had to say goodbye to glam after breast surgery, believing that reconstruction was the only way to go, think again. With Contact, you can let your inner vamp come out to play!
You’re gorgeous!
Here’s the science
If you’ve ever worn holdup stockings or a strapless bra, you’ll ‘get’ the adhesion properties of Contact immediately. Although it’s incredibly sticky, there’s no glue involved. Instead, there’s a tacky silicone surface that leaves no residue and is easy to apply and to remove. Another bonus is that, because the adhesive material is evenly distributed across the breast form, Contact adheres brilliantly even if you have uneven scarring.
With a Contact breast form you can indulge your inner girliness to the full
B
efore you had breast surgery you probably enjoyed choosing pretty lingerie, perhaps indulging in the odd lacy cami or silky nightie when budget allowed. You might even have been a queen of luxe, your boudoir bulging with the best and most glamorous scanties you could afford. It’s likely that you gave little thought to evening wear, simply choosing whatever suited you. And, like so many women, when you thought about mastectomy lingerie you probably pictured industrial-strength, bulky white bras with enormous cups and acres of straps that could be worn with nothing more revealing than a long-sleeved, highnecked blouse. While today’s mastectomy lingerie has shaken off all traces of ugly functionality, and the likes of Kylie Minogue have proved that mastectomy doesn’t have to be a straight road to frumpiness, if you have to wear a breast form you do need to choose bras that will hold it firmly in place and give you the support you need. Some women live in fear of their breast form slipping or moving; strapless bras become a thing of the past, and it’s impossible to go bra-less without looking lopsided. You could be forgiven for
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thinking that sexy underwear, glamorous nightwear and revealing clothes were relegated to ‘life before breast cancer’. If this strikes a chord, you’ll be able to see why, when Amoena introduced Contact in the late 1990s, it caused a minor revolution in the breast form world, transforming many women’s lives in the process. Incredible though it sounded, this breast form adhered directly to your skin, so it wasn’t going anywhere. Here was a breast form that women could put on and then forget about. It behaved like a part of their body, and – crucially – it freed them up to choose from a much broader range of lingerie and clothing. It’s no wonder that Contact flew off the shelves, and continues to do so. ‘Contact is hugely popular because it answers a need,’ explains Rhoda White, Amoena’s marketing manager. ‘Women’s outlook is so much younger and more outgoing these days – 50 is the new 40, after all, and no woman wants to be told there’s a cut-off date for looking good and making the most of yourself. Equally, a woman’s femininity and glamour shouldn’t be compromised by breast cancer.
‘Women always tell me that a vital part of their recovery is the feeling of getting back to the way they were before breast surgery. For many that means leading a busy, active, energetic life. It can also mean wearing the types of clothes and bras they wore before surgery. Contact lets you do all this.’ Of course, after mastectomy a lot of women are adamant that reconstruction is the only way forward – they won’t feel happy until their shape has been restored as much as possible. But for others the thought of further surgery is more than they can bear, and of course reconstruction is not suitable for everyone. For these women Contact is ideal because it’s the next best thing to your own breast. We wanted to show you just how much you can get away with in a Contact breast form. So we asked Penny and Jenny to get down to their skimpies for us. We think you’ll agree that you can’t tell
amoena products
the difference between them and Julie, our original model for Contact breast forms, who has now had a reconstruction. And we bet you’ll be surprised at how sexy, relaxed and downright gorgeous they all look! ‘I’m proud to say that these photographs are completely natural – there’s no re-touching or airbrushing at all,’ says Rhoda. ‘Contact works brilliantly for women of any age, whatever their bust size, as Penny and Jenny are happy to prove.’ Sh e ’ s g o t t o h a v e i t !
Some women are put off exploring the possibilities offered by different types of breast form because of the expense. Because it’s a necessity, not a ‘nice to have’, a breast form can feel more like a distress purchase than a must-have accessory. But the right one can really make a difference – either to a particular outfit or to your entire life.
So gorgeous! Julie, aged 46; Penny, aged 42 and Jenny, aged 64.
‘People think that breast forms are expensive, but they’re not really if you compare them to a good pair of shoes or having your hair coloured, which is all part of making the most of yourself,’ says Rhoda. ‘Just because you’ve had breast cancer it doesn’t mean that you don’t still love fashion and want to look your best, and that starts with the right foundations. Just as you’d buy a strapless bra or a pair of control panties for an evening dress, and hunt down the right handbag or this season’s heels, you need to think about your breast form when you’re planning your look. Although it’s not essential for you to have more than one, you may find on some occasions a different breast form will help you achieve the look you want. Of course we’re not suggesting you become the Imelda Marcos of the breast form world and invest in an entire wardrobe of them – it’s just worth noting that different breast forms do fulfil different needs! And don’t imagine that Contact is just for when you’re dressed up. As our photographs show, it’s also fantastic for wearing with sexy undies, and remember you can wear it at night with your favourite slinky nightwear too.’
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amoena products
‘ I regularly attend yoga and pilates, and recently amazed myself by taking up jogging and completing the Race for Life.’
Stick around
It has natural looks, it’s discreet. It moves with you, lets you get on with your life, and gives you the freedom you need to wear what you want and do everything you did before surgery. OK, so it doesn’t take the kids to school or pay the bills. But, honestly, what’s not to love about Contact?
Sticking with it!
If you’re tempted to give it a go, you can try Contact completely risk-free with our threemonth trial period. If you’re dissatisfied with Contact for any reason you can exchange it for another Amoena breast form at any time within three months from the date of purchase. For further information, complete the coupon on page 55, telephone us on freephone 0800 0728866 or visit our website at www.amoena-online.co.uk
Stuck on you Penny never expected to have to worry about keeping a breast form in place. ‘Before I was diagnosed I didn’t have to think about the clothes that I wore, I just chose what I liked,’ she says. ‘I was 37 when I had my mastectomy, and I’d always been a size 10 with a 34A bust. I was perfectly happy with my body shape. Shopping was easy – I could walk into a store, pick something up and know I could wear it. That all changed when I had to think about my prosthesis and mastectomy bra. Being quite small busted I also went bra-less sometimes, but suddenly was conscious that if I went bra-less in a T-shirt I’d have one flat side. I remember packing for my summer holiday just after I’d had my mastectomy – it was one of the hardest things I had to do. I didn’t realise until then what a big impact the mastectomy was going to make.’ Penny started wearing Contact about three years ago. ‘My breast care nurse suggested I try it, and I really haven’t looked back. You can wear it with any bra, which is great. Two years ago I went to a 40th birthday party. It was a very posh do – black tie for the men and lovely dresses for the ladies. Previously going out looking for something to wear, and trying to get a strappy dress to fit with a normal bra and prosthesis was a no-no. This time, thanks to Contact I was able to choose a dress I liked and wear it with a strapless bra.
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‘Contact makes you think about things differently. When I wear it, I feel as though I have my old shape back again. In fact, I just act as normal. These days I often go bra-less around the house when I’m wearing Contact and I frequently forget I’m wearing it. I would happily go out without a bra on now if my outfit demanded it.’ Penny’s consultant advised her to have a lat flap reconstruction but, she explains, ‘after I’d seen the surgeon and been told that the operation itself would take around 7 hours and, in my case, I’d need about four separate procedures, plus I’d probably have a concave area in my back as I got older, I decided it wasn’t for me. Right now I feel really fit and completely happy, and I don’t need that hassle. I’ll stick with Contact!’
Jenny had her mastectomy nine years ago, and was one of the first Contact wearers. At one point she was seriously considering reconstruction, but changed her mind when she was told that in addition to her own tissue she would also need a partial implant to balance out her 40C bust. ‘That, plus the influence of my family, who felt I’d had enough surgery, was enough to put me off,’ she says. ‘I was very happy with Contact so I decided to stick with that.’ She is glad she took that decision, because cancer returned five years after her original operation, in the chest wall on the side of her mastectomy. ‘I wonder whether it would have been found so quickly – or at all – if I’d had the reconstruction.’ Contact gives Jenny complete confidence. ‘I’m very comfortable with it. I regularly attend yoga and pilates, and recently amazed myself by taking up jogging and completing the Race for Life. Contact is so much a part of me now that I never gave it a thought when I was running – I was too busy concentrating on the race!’ Jenny has just been fitted with her third Contact by her breast care nurse: ‘I had to request it specially this time, and the hospital ordered it in,’ she says. Having recently won her battle to get to her ideal weight, she feels fabulous. ‘I’m very happy and confident with the way I am,’ she says. ‘I certainly won’t have reconstruction now.’ And what did she think of the scanties she was asked to wear for our photo shoot? ‘I loved them. To be honest I’d never thought about wearing Contact at night – my husband is very happy with the way I am and my mastectomy doesn’t bother him at all. But I would certainly wear Contact with a silky negligee now!’
contact
A L L T H IS AND M ORE
Not only does Contact give you the chance to be a bit daring with what you wear, there are also plenty of other benefits. Comfort: Contact has been designed for daily wear – not just for special occasions. Because Contact is worn directly against the body, its weight is distributed evenly across your chest wall – just like a real breast. This means that it feels lighter, which is important if you have a larger bust. It also helps reduce pain or tension in the neck, back and shoulders – good news for lymphoedema sufferers. Another bonus is that the adhesive surface is kind to the skin and doesn’t cause irritation.
Both sides of the story (from someone who knows)
Security: Contact’s firm adhesion means your breast form will not slip or fall forward, so you can move freely in any situation with complete confidence. Julie was one of the original models for Contact when it was launched. She’s since had a reconstruction – although at first she thought that would be the last thing she’d do. ‘While waiting for my mastectomy date, I did some research and found that there was no need to hurry in deciding whether or not to have reconstructive surgery. It’s a lengthy process and the end result would be the same if I did it now or some ten years later. As I was going to need intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy I felt I couldn’t risk delaying life-saving treatment for the sake of my femininity. I had heard of Contact from my breast care nurse and it sounded ideal for me until I was sure about reconstruction. As a fitness instructor I wanted to get over my surgery as quickly as possible, and back to my normal, active life. I have always been very confident about my body – I know I’m attractive with or without two breasts, and my mastectomy didn’t bother my partner, Steve, so the pressure wasn’t on to have a reconstruction. ‘Contact was a Godsend. It moved with me and made me feel completely natural. I was even able to wear it while teaching fitness classes! It was great to find something that did what it said on the tin. I adored Contact, and wore it for years. I did not need to change any of my clothes, and was even bra-less for most of the summers. People were always surprised to find out I had a prosthetic boob, as the ‘drop’ matched my natural one. Taking care of Contact
couldn’t have been easier. I used to clean it at the same time as my daily wash and for added stickiness, warmed the back of it with my hairdryer, then stuck the Contact in place before turning my attention to my hairstyle. You very quickly get to know exactly where to position your Contact.
Easy to use: Contact is easy to care for, wash and apply. It can be loosened from your body and adjusted at any time, and won’t leave any traces of adhesive on your skin. Freedom of movement: Contact’s unique two-layered design ensures that it moves naturally with your body in any situation. Whether you’re lying down, bending forward, running or raising your arms, Contact moves with you and feels so natural that you’ll forget you’re wearing a breast form.
‘I changed my mind about reconstruction when I spoke to some women in my support group about how straightforward the operation was, and how quickly they’d recovered. I chose ‘expander reconstruction’ as it limited the amount of scarring and if I wasn’t happy with the result I could always revert back to using a Contact. The whole process has been so easy – no long stays in hospital, no limits to my lifestyle, the only restriction for the first month was to wear a bra 23 hours out of 24 (hard for me!). Every couple of weeks I pop along to outpatients and have a ‘fill up’ of saline and watch my boob grow to a B cup – amazing.
Lifelike: Made from super-soft silicone that drapes like a real breast and warms quickly to body temperature, close physical contact, even a hug, won’t reveal you’re wearing a breast form. Versatile: Contact is so versatile that you can also wear it like a standard breast form. It comes with a backing cover which allows you wear it loose in the cup of a bra if you choose to do so.
‘I really love my new breast, and I don’t regret my reconstruction at all. However, it is a major operation, even with an implant, and of course much more of an undertaking if your own muscle is used. Also, I am relatively young and I’m very fit, so there were few health risks for me. Now that I can directly compare the two, though, I’d definitely say if you’re considering a reconstruction try Contact first. It really is the next best thing to a real breast. You may change your mind!’
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swimwear
Escape
to the sun
If summer’s washout this year has inspired you to seek some winter sun, indulge yourself with something gorgeous from our cruise collection. Choose from deep turquoise blues or funky animal prints in black and yellow. These styles are available both online and via mail order from November. Bonaire wrapover swimsuit Sizes 12–30 | £40 Order code 3C8 350
Bonaire Pareo S M | £18 Order code 3C8 950
Bonaire bandeau swimsuit Sizes 10–22 | £40 Order code 3C8 650
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swimwear
Abaco drawstring top Sizes 10–20 | £25 Order code 3C8 810
Dominica briefs Sizes 10–20 | £10 Order code 3F6 971 Abaco one shoulder swimsuit Sizes 10–18 | £30 Order code 3C8 610
Bonaire crop top bikini Sizes 10–20 | £30 Order code 3C8 851
Bonaire bandeau swimsuit Sizes 10–22 | £40 Order code 3C8 650
Bonaire tankini Sizes 10–22 | £32 Order code 3C8 850
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swimwear
Wherever you’re going next summer, there’s bound to be something from our 2008 swimwear collection that will reflect your style perfectly. Available from March, here’s a sneak preview to get you in the mood.
Wish
you were here
Tropical paradise
If your idea of heaven is a laid-back beach scene, you’ll adore these styles from our ‘Feel’ range. The ideal chillout gear, you’ll find both classic and modern designs in this ultimate feel-good collection. Top it all off with one of our lovely strappy tops or dresses for the beach barbie when the sun goes down!
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swimwear
St Tropez darling!
Make sure your swimwear is as hot as your holiday destination with something stunning from our ‘Style’ collection. For a look that’s both fashion-forward and fun, top it all off with some enormous shades and a big straw hat.
Jump to it
If your swimwear has to work hard to keep up with you, our ‘Move’ range will go the distance. Sporty, sleek and very hard wearing – these costumes are ready when you are. Surf’s up!
For details of our full range of swimwear please complete the coupon on page 55, telephone us on freephone 0800 0728866 or visit our website at www.amoena.co.uk. Or purchase online at www.amoena-online.co.uk
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mind+body
When someone asks how we are, our natural response is to say that everything’s fine. But in reality when you have breast cancer you often feel just the opposite. Yet if you’re in the habit of denying your feelings, either to yourself or others, it may be stopping you from moving on with your life. Christina Relf asks psychotherapist Ronnie Kaye what happens when keeping up appearances becomes too much of a strain.
Keeping up appearances How are you really feeling?
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hen I had my mastectomy all my friends and family were really rooting for me, and would constantly ask me how I was,’ says Amoena Life reader Petra Monroe. ‘But a year down the line I sense they expect me to be OK now, and so when they ask how I am, I find myself automatically saying that I’m fine.’
This is something that probably happens to you all the time – and your reactions may be very similar to Petra’s. But are you really OK, or are you hiding your true feelings behind a mask? American psychotherapist Ronnie Kaye, herself a breast cancer survivor, says this is a situation she frequently encounters in her work: ‘In the last several years, breast cancer has certainly come out of the closet. Celebrities openly discuss their diagnoses, we have public forums and conferences in relation to it and newspapers run articles about it’ says Ronnie. ‘We have learned a great deal about the profound emotional impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on a woman, her family and friends. The issues run the gamut from the sexual to the spiritual and everything in between. And yet, despite knowing so much about how breast cancer can affect a woman’s psyche, many women still choose to keep their feelings to themselves.’ There are many reasons why we put a brave face on things – not wanting to worry those close to us; wanting people to think we can cope; believing people aren’t interested, or just because we find it difficult to talk about our innermost feelings. ‘In essence,’ explains Ronnie, ‘the issue is one of protection. By closing off her feelings, a woman is often trying to protect her image, her identity, her self-esteem or the important people in her life.’ When the mask slips
But most of us can only keep our emotions hidden for so long. And if we hide behind a mask of indifference we ultimately risk putting up a barrier between ourselves and the help we need in order to move on. ‘The problem is that when feelings build up inside and remain unexpressed, they often manage to leak out in disguised and unproductive ways: exhaustion, impatience and anger, isolation and alienation, resentment, or an escalating depression,’ says Ronnie. ‘This can have a seriously
negative impact on relationships with others. In attempting to present a “false face”, relationships become less authentic and more distant. With that growing distance, sources of support and encouragement are cut off. As a result, feelings of neediness escalate. In such situations, talk really is the cure.’ But how do you recognise when you’re hiding your true feelings? There are several different types of masks – although ultimately they all do the same thing. I ’ m a l r i g h t, y o u ’ r e a l r i g h t
Saying we’re alright is something we do every day of our lives; it becomes a habit. In reality we may have just received a nasty letter from the bank or woken up with a big spot on our nose, but we know people don’t want to hear all about our little niggles. Yet while minor problems are easy to cope with on our own, when a life-threatening event like breast cancer happens hiding our feelings may be one of the worst things we can do to ourselves. If someone really cares about you, they will want to listen. But that’s sometimes difficult to believe, even when it comes to the closest of friends. When she was recovering from breast cancer, Margaret North used to dread social occasions: ‘No-one really expects a detailed answer when they ask how you are,’ she says. ‘It’s often a superficial and insincere form of acknowledging someone. And the automatic response is to say you’re fine. Of course I felt very far from fine, but I knew people didn’t want a list of my ailments and gripes when we passed in the street or met at a party. So I learned to lie, basically.’ Margaret’s experience is something most of us can relate to. We can all think of a time when we would really have liked to unburden ourselves to a sympathetic ear, rather than murmur platitudes. ‘When it comes to sharing, intelligent choices regarding who and when must be made,’ says Ronnie. ‘If you are looking for a supportive response, casual social acquaintances are probably not the best choices. It is important to be able to discriminate between a casual inquiry from someone you don’t know very well and a caring question from a family member or close friend. For those social situations where a superficial response is actually best, it is often a good idea to prepare something in advance so you won’t be caught off-
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guard (politicians do it all the time!). You don’t have to say you’re fine, if you’re not. You can, however, say something like this: “Things are going exactly as they should.” It is much easier to do this when you know that your real support group is standing by, ready to offer an ear or a shoulder when you need it.’ A recent study found that people who spoke at least once a day to a really good friend – even for just a few minutes – were happier and healthier. Our friends form part of our life’s memory-bank, acting as a mirror that lets us see ourselves more clearly and sometimes in a different light, remembering what’s important to us, questioning our reactions and behaviours, and helping us work out our feelings through honest, open discussion. Ultimately by choosing not to express your real feelings you are denying yourself the support that you need, so you can simply wind up hurting yourself, and shouldn’t be surprised if people believe you’re happy when really you’re not. And if you bump into a friend and think they might be able to help but perhaps the timing isn’t right for them to give you the attention you really need there and then, you could always thank them for their interest, say you’d really appreciate a coffee and chat, and set a date to meet. Don’t trivialise your problems thinking that it lets everyone off the hook. If you don’t take yourself seriously, nobody else will. Sometimes, though, friends whom you thought would be there through thick and thin may surprise you by seeming to be uninterested or saying something you find hurtful. While it is true that this can seem like rejection, Ronnie explains that it’s more to do with them trying to make themselves feel better than it is a lack of concern for your own wellbeing. ‘People who are kind and well-intentioned can still sometimes say things that are hurtful,’ she says. ‘Often it’s due to feelings of helplessness – they want you to be alright and they think that by “jollying you along” they will help to make it so. Also, your diagnosis will have forced them to face up to their own mortality, and if they can convince you and themselves that you are OK they won’t have to deal with their own fears. ‘Breast cancer is a lonely experience. If you have people in your life who care, rather than pushing them away because they
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‘ Our friends form part of our life’s memory-bank, acting as a mirror that lets us see ourselves more clearly and sometimes in a different light, remembering what’s important to us…’ have said the wrong thing, educate them. Let them know, by responding honestly and kindly to their comments, how they can support you. By giving them your constructive feedback, you can teach them how to really be there for you.’
despair and alienation in a relationship is by masking or hiding feelings. While there are many reasons people do this, the bottom line is that they think they are actually protecting the relationship. Nothing could be further from the truth!’
All bottled up
Get a grip!
Often, we think we’re doing very well in hiding our feelings and carrying on as if nothing’s wrong. Then something happens, often just a tiny incident that normally wouldn’t cause us any concern at all, and we find we can’t keep up the pretence any more. The trouble is, having spent so long convincing everyone that we’re fine, it can be very difficult to ask for the help we need.
Some women are seen by everyone who knows them as a tower of strength. They never do or say the wrong thing; they always know what to do in a crisis; their lives run on well-oiled wheels, and everyone turns to them with their problems – not vice versa. And when someone like this has to cope with the emotional strain of breast cancer, it’s no surprise to learn that they often find themselves in alien territory.
‘I seemed to sail through my breast cancer treatment and was secretly quite chuffed when everyone kept telling me how brave I was and how well I was coping,’ says Annie James. ‘So it came as a huge blow when, about 18 months after my treatment had finished, I suddenly seemed to hit a wall. I didn’t look any different, but inside my emotions were all over the place. I was desperate to unburden myself, but I felt I couldn’t do that because everyone thought I was coping so well. So instead I kept my feelings bottled up, pretending everything was fine when really I was feeling scared, tired and lonely. ‘Finally everything came to a head when my husband made a joke that I was “letting myself go.” I just exploded and all the resentment came flooding out. I still remember the stunned look on his face – but it was the start of us really beginning to talk about my whole cancer experience, and the funny thing was he admitted that he had been feeling some of the same emotions but was putting a brave face on it because I had been coping so well.’ ‘A relationship based on real feelings is one that can continue to grow stronger,’ says Ronnie. ‘That is exactly the kind of relationship that sustains us through dark and difficult times. When you are not authentic in your relationships, things quickly get off-track. The surest way to feelings of
One of the women in Ronnie Kaye’s support group felt she couldn’t admit any weakness or fear. ‘I couldn’t afford to become a burden to anyone,’ she said. ‘I was the one responsible for holding the family together. Everyone depended on me. They needed to feel that I could continue to take care of them. If I appeared optimistic, if I didn’t make a big deal out of my breast cancer, they would believe that everything was all right, and they could go on as usual. If they had known how I really felt, I think the family would have just fallen apart.’ Ronnie has some sound advice: ‘Many women feel that they have to take care of everything and everyone, fearing that the world would fall apart if they stopped. If this is you, it’s time to be honest about your feelings and explain to the people who’ve become used to relying on you that you’re going to need some space to focus on yourself for a while. Tell them you love them and add your vote of confidence in their ability to find their own solutions to life’s problems. If you are consistent, they will start to work things out for themselves. And try to build a sense of mutuality into your relationships from now on. It’s OK for people to lean on you sometimes, but you need to be confident that, when it’s necessary, you can also lean on them.’ After all, you owe it to yourself to look after your own health, or you won’t ever be in a fit state to help those you love.
mind+body
And if you want to remain the strong, silent type, remember this change is only temporary. ‘Sometimes,’ adds Ronnie, ‘because cancer involves so much loss, a woman may not also want to lose the way people have perceived her in the past, how they reacted to her, what they had shared with her and what they had received from her. You may find yourself wanting to be who you always were, and to have people treat you the way they always have. But it’s important to remember that breast cancer doesn’t take your identity away – it just shifts the focus for a time while you deal with all the issues you are facing.’ R e l at i v e s t r e n g t h s
What’s YOUR emotional safety valve?
Whether you’re a sharer or a bottler, take a look at Ronnie Kaye’s top tips for making sure you don’t blow an emotional fuse! If you’re used to sharing your feelings • Let people know what kind of response you want when you share (an ear, a shoulder, a pep talk, TLC, information, advice, practical help) • Find a support group that meets your needs • Find a role model, whether it’s your best friend or someone in the public eye, who has been through it and learn from their experiences • Give yourself permission to ask for what you need If you’re more comfortable keeping your feelings to yourself • Find an outlet for processing feelings – for example, keeping a journal of your thoughts is a great safety valve • Examine your expectations of yourself and modify them when you expect too much • Become aware of ‘self-talk’ (those things you tell yourself that can either add to or detract from your feelings of security) • Books, tapes, DVDs, magazines and the internet can help if you prefer not to talk but want to explore how other people have dealt with similar issues
Another reason for keeping your feelings hidden can be the desire to protect your children – particularly when they are very young. After all, it’s deeply distressing for a small child to see his or her mother crying, and most of us work hard at creating an atmosphere of calm and continuity for our children. This is only natural, but your children do have a right to know what is happening to you – and them. Furthermore, children are very sensitive and will pick up on changes in your behaviour and your moods. So while you don’t want to scare them, it’s a good idea to be as open and honest with them as you can in a way that’s appropriate for their age. And remember, it’s not just you who might want to talk – your children may want to discuss their feelings too. ‘My little boy, who was six, had never seen me cry,’ explained Theresa. ‘I knew I had to tell him that I wasn’t very well, but all through my treatment I managed to save my tears until after he’d gone to bed. Sometimes it was such a strain to make everything seem OK when really it wasn’t, and I did worry that he’d pick up on my concerns even if I didn’t say anything.’ ‘We all want to protect our loved ones, especially our children,’ says Ronnie. ‘However, children are especially sensitive to emotional undercurrents. If you try to hide your diagnosis or your feelings completely,
your children will pick up the “vibes” and they will construct a story to make sense of what they are picking up. Their stories are almost always far more damaging than the truth. On the other hand, a child should never be the dumping ground for his/her mother’s raw, unprocessed emotions. Clearly, the best thing is for mum to have emotional outlets (friends, family, support groups, internet chat rooms, individual counselling or spiritual/religious guidance) that allow her to express and master her own feelings before communicating them to her children. When A Parent Has Cancer, by Wendy Schlessel Harpham (Harper Collins, 1997) is an excellent book for parents struggling with this issue. Children are sturdier than parents imagine. To feel secure, they need to know the truth. What we can model for them is what to do and how to cope when bad things happen.’ Who, me?
For some women, however, the very act of talking about themselves is the problem. ‘I’ve always been quite shy and find it difficult to be the centre of attention,’ says Meera Patel. ‘I prefer to hear about other people’s problems and experiences, because deep-down I don’t really think anyone is interested in anything I have to say. But having breast cancer really shifted the focus, and put me centre stage. Suddenly it was all about me, and I found that so difficult to deal with. Saying I was fine just seemed like the easiest solution.’ In Meera’s case, the problem was not knowing how to deal with all the attention, and simply not being used to speaking up. According to Ronnie, ‘Breast cancer often acts as a magnifying glass, seeking out and highlighting unresolved issues from the past. Given the losses, changes in body image, and the fact that the diagnosis tends to set women apart from their “civilian” (undiagnosed/cancer-free) sisters, it seems entirely reasonable that a breast cancer experience would stir up old issues relating to self-esteem. This is a good-news-badnews situation. The bad news is that cancer is hard enough without also having to deal with issues of self-esteem. The good news
‘ Meditation can restore perspective and balance, relaxation techniques can provide essential vacations from the stress of the breast cancer experience…’
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is that there is now an opportunity to deal with and finally resolve an issue that has almost certainly been impacting your life negatively for many, many years.’ If this feels like you, you’ll find some useful tips in our self-esteem feature, Mind over Mirror (issue 18 of Amoena Life). Even if you’re not one to share your feelings, the chances are you’ll still benefit from some assistance in working them through. This is where a little help in developing your own inner resources comes in handy. ‘There is always an inner dimension to this journey,’ says Ronnie, ‘and there are many ways to approach that. Meditation can restore perspective and balance, relaxation techniques can provide essential vacations from the stress of the breast cancer experience, imagery can tap into the power of the mind/body connection, and keeping a journal is a wonderful way to acquire self-awareness and can provide a useful alternative to sharing with others. Books, too, can be a great source of inspiration and guidance.’ Fooling yourself
You might find that it’s not just other people you’re trying to fool by wearing a mask of indifference. You could be doing it to fool yourself. Pauline gradually found herself in her own version of Through the Looking Glass, where she was running as fast as she could just to stand still. ‘I decided the best way to get through was to shrug it off as much as possible, to make light of it,’ she says. ‘I told people I didn’t want to make a big thing of it, and urged them to treat me more or less as if nothing were wrong. I positively discouraged sympathy and concern. But as I reached each milestone in my treatment I began to realise that my daily interactions were not reflecting the reality of my life. Eventually this fragmented existence became impossible to sustain and I broke down.’ Commenting on Pauline’s experience, Ronnie said: ‘When the image you project is too different from your inner experience, enormous tension starts to build. After a while, the tension becomes truly exhausting, and, along with the exhaustion, comes a deep sense of sadness, alienation from others, depression, and, often, anger and resentment. In a sense, Pauline’s breakdown was a move in the right direction. It was designed to bring her outer image and her inner self into a more
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‘ You might find that it’s not just other people you’re trying to fool by wearing a mask of indifference. You could be doing it to fool yourself.’ realistic and truthful alignment. We all want to feel authentic within ourselves and in our relationships with others. This starts with our willingness to accept our own truth and then to communicate that truth to others.’ For some women, though, acting as though you’re OK is the next best thing to actually being OK. And as long as you realise what you’re doing, this can be a great way of coping. One frequently used life-coaching strategy for someone who wants to make an important change is to visualise how you would like to be, feel or behave, and act as though that’s already the case. For example, you want to be a top manager, or you long to be a social success, so you visualise yourself already being that person and you start acting as though it’s already real. Before you know it, you’re walking the talk. It’s up to you to choose the coping strategy that works best for you – just be aware of what you’re doing, and don’t make the mistake of lying to yourself about how you really feel. F i n d o u t w h at w o r k s for you
Even though we usually put on a brave face with the best of intentions, ultimately it is best for us and others if we can be open and honest. But a final word of caution from Ronnie: ‘We are so focused on the need for emotional sharing that we mistakenly impose that as a standard on everyone. Some women find that they can cope best when they do not share their feelings with others.’ As we’ve seen, for some of us acting as though we feel OK is only one step away from really feeling OK – and if that’s what works, then we should go with it. Ronnie continues: ‘When John Grey wrote the book Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, he had a great deal to say about how differently the two sexes handle emotions. Typically, women process emotions by expressing them, working them through and resolving them by talking things over (and
over, and over) with others. Men, on the other hand, tend to go into their respective caves, work things out alone, then emerge once they have mastered the problem. It should be pointed out, however, that Grey was generalising, and generalisations are almost never completely accurate. There are some men who prefer to discuss their feelings, just as there are some women who prefer a cave. Each woman is unique, and the bottom line is that she must be free to discover what works best for her. What works is whatever leaves a woman feeling whole, confident and alive.’ So go ahead and find an outlet for your feelings – don’t trivialise them by refusing to give them head space or air them in public. But don’t feel pressurised into therapies or discussions that make you feel uncomfortable. Be aware of the possibilities and explore those that feel right. You will find your own best solution in time.
write back
write back Write Back, our readers’ forum, puts you in touch with other women who have undergone breast surgery. Write to us if you would like to hear from other readers on a particular subject and, if your letter is published, we will send any replies received to you.
reader requests
Painful coccyx I have been on Arimidex for about 2 years, after I tried tamoxifen. I have put on 2 stone and I am aching all over. But what puzzles me is my very painful coccyx. I can’t sit down any more. I wonder if any of your readers on Arimidex have experienced the same? Trudi Birch
Should I have had chemo? I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in May 2000 when I was 50. I was told that I could either have a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. As I didn’t know anything about either, I searched for information before I made my decision to have a mastectomy. Afterwards I was told I had oestrogen positive cancer and they had found cancer in one of the 23 lymph nodes they removed. The oncologist told me that if I lived in America I would have chemo and radiotherapy automatically but he didn’t think it was necessary. He told me to go away and think about it for two weeks. I concluded that if I did not need it, why would I want to put myself through it? He put me on tamoxifen, ostensibly for five years but after two I had to come off it because I developed a liver disorder called N.A.S.H. I don’t know if it was related. I then had my ovaries zapped with radiotherapy to stop them producing oestrogen. I have been free of cancer since then, but I worry about whether or not I should have had the more radical treatment and whether the problem is likely to recur. I would like to hear from anyone who may have undergone the same or similar problems and whether there is any need to feel worried in any way. Karen Burton
How do I carry on? I have been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in my liver and bones 3 years after my primary diagnosis. I am absolutely heartbroken and devastated. I am at a loss how to cope or carry on. I have an 11 year old daughter and a grown up son and want to hear some stories of hope. Is there anyone out there who is living with this disease? I am so down at the moment that I can hardly get through each day. How do you get normality back in your life? Caroline Dinnie
Depression and anxiety on tamoxifen I had a lumpectomy in May 2000. Fortunately my lymph nodes were free from cancer, so I didn’t have to have chemo, I just had surgery, followed by radiotherapy and then tamoxifen for 4½ years.
about 3–4 months and another towards the end of the course, resulting in stopping tamoxifen 6 months early. Both episodes got better 3–4 weeks after discontinuing tamoxifen. The first time I was advised to stop taking tamoxifen for only 1 month, continue taking the anti-depressant and then re-start tamoxifen – which worked OK.
I would be really interested to hear from anyone who suffered anxiety as a result of taking tamoxifen and got much worse (anxiety and depression) as a result of taking anti-depressants as well as tamoxifen. I would love to hear from anyone who is having or I had two very bad bouts of anxiety/ has had similar problems. depression – one after taking tamoxifen for Sheelagh Harvey
Knotty problem I would like to know how many readers out there have had the same experience as me, with their surgeon discovering that the tumour under the arm was knotted up in a mass, and therefore couldn’t say exactly how many lymph nodes were affected. He did in fact leave a tiny amount behind, so as not to make my arm completely useless. I have been assured that the surgery, chemo and radiotherapy I had will have got it all (I had a wide excision lumpectomy) – it was a grade III tumour. However, as I haven’t yet had my first ‘all clear’ mammogram after the event it would be reassuring to know if there are a few others out there who have had the same, are further down the line than me and have been given the OK for at least a year or two. Odette Warick
Leukaemia query I was treated for breast cancer in 2003. I had a mastectomy, four cycles of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide, and twenty-five doses of radiotherapy. I subsequently took tamoxifen for about two years. This year in February I was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia. Studies of my genetic profile would suggest that the breast cancer treatment brought about the leukaemia, yet I was not made aware that this might happen and know of no other women that this has happened to. Have you any information about this problem and could you ask your readers if there are any women in my position? Hilary Worsley
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write back reader requests
reader replies
Is anyone taking Indole-3-Carbinol? After being diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2006, I spent a great deal of time informing myself more about the disease and its treatment. My tumour was caught very early and all the lymph nodes removed were clear, which meant I didn’t need radiotherapy or chemo. It was, however, oestrogen receptive and my consultant prescribed me tamoxifen. Being aware and somewhat fearful of the drug’s many side-effects, I chose to take Cruciferous Extract (Indole-3-Carbinol). I had read about it in nutritional information I’d sourced and also a response in Issue 18 from Ann to a previous request for ‘a natural alternative to tamoxifen’ by H Hardy in Issue 16. I contacted the Breakspear Hospital, Herts, mentioned in Ann’s letter, and they sent me some information about the action of Indole-3-Carbinol. The only thing is, I don’t know if it’s working. It is possible to measure hormonal breakdown products from oestrogens by urine testing, and the Breakspear Hospital apparently will carry out this testing, but it’s a heck of a long way to go from the North of England. I’d really like to hear from anyone who is also taking Indole-3-Carbinol and whether, how and where they are having its effects and results monitored. Is anyone, for example, obtaining such tests though their GP? Adele Walker
Narrow shave I wonder if you could help me. I have recently had a mastectomy and lat flap reconstruction. I have been told that I may only use electric shavers under my affected arm after some years of waxing. It is proving quite difficult finding a shaver that is narrow enough as my arm pit has a deep indentation where the lymph glands have been removed. Conventional shavers are too wide and uncomfortable. Do you know of any such shavers on the market? Lorraine Martin
Frozen shoulder a constant pain I had a right mastectomy 7 months ago and since then have had pain and stiffness in my arm and shoulder, which was diagnosed as a frozen shoulder. I wondered if there was anyone else who has had a similar thing following surgery. It has really ruined my everyday life and the constant pain is horrific. I have had physiotherapy, but it hasn’t helped. Even sleeping is difficult, and I have become very depressed. I was hoping to return to my job, but the doctors say it may be two years before it gets right. Judith Duffin
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Can I paint my toenails now?
I have had a full mastectomy with lymph node removal, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and am now on tamoxifen. Not only did I lose my hair, but also my toenails: my hair has regrown, but my toenails are taking ages to regrow – and they look ridged and discoloured. Can I safely apply nail-varnish and remove with a non-alcoholic remover? I’m obviously more aware of what goes on my body as well as what goes in it – but I would like to wear sandals come summer. I know this is somewhat frivolous compared to all the life-threatening trauma one ploughs through – but it would make me feel better still. Janne Jennison
I campaigned for letrozole I refer to the letter from Muriel Mercer in Issue 24. In America the recommendation is that 5 years on tamoxifen should be followed by a course of letrozole, at present 3 years. It was found that this reduced significantly the chance of breast cancer returning. I finished my course of tamoxifen in October 2005 and at that check up was told that treatment had now finished. I asked the consultant why he had not offered letrozole but he was evasive and said I could go on letrozole if I wished. However, in the event, my GP was not allowed to prescribe it without permission from the PCT. When he asked for permission he was told I could have Arimidex! I prepared a leaflet explaining why I wanted to go on letrozole and sent it to the PCT. A summary of this is as follows: ‘My information is based on the results of the large international study by the US National Cancer Institute to determine if letrozole (Femara) would reduce the risk of cancer recurring in post-menopausal women. The study found that cancer returned less often in women with node positive hormonereceptor tumours who were taking letrozole. It was stopped early because of this finding and it recommends that women completing five years of tamoxifen and having stopped taking it for less than 3 months should consider taking letrozole. It showed that women who take it were less likely to relapse, it lowered the risk by 43% and seemed to improve their chance of survival.’ Subsequently, in January 2006, permission was given to prescribe it. This process took 3 months and while waiting I carried on taking tamoxifen to ensure treatment was continuous. Later that year, it was given a new extended licence but I don’t know if that means it is easier to get now, or whether it is still a post code lottery. June Miller
write back reader replies
Letrozole has helped me I read the letter from Muriel Mercer asking if anyone was on letrozole. I’ve been on the drug now for more than 3 years following my third recurrence of breast cancer. I too had a lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed followed by radiotherapy, 7 years ago, at the age of 40. Tamoxifen held the cancer at bay for just 2 years. I found it had returned when I was battling through a divorce and with 2 young children to look after. This time I had a mastectomy and was started on Arimidex. Five weeks later I discovered the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes on the other side. I had another mastectomy, chemo and radiotherapy, and eventually was prescribed letrozole because of the painful side effects of Arimidex – even walking became very difficult. Although the side effects are still present, they are to a lesser degree, and are bearable, although the tiredness is overwhelming at times and I have the added problems caused by nerve damage from the surgery.
On the grapevine
I have been assured that the drug is as effective as Arimidex; I am still here after 3 years on this drug and am hopeful for several more years yet! I would like to take the opportunity to say a big thank you for Amoena Life. So many of the articles and stories from other women I find I am able to relate to, and it makes you realise that there are others out there who know exactly where you are coming from, and that the feelings you have are normal.
I would like to reply to Vivienne Venton about the Muscadine grapes. There is lots of information on the internet. As a wine drinker myself I was interested to find out about this grape, having not heard of it before. This particular type of wild grape is native to America. It is very susceptible to browning and overall loss of colour in storage and processing. This severely limits its shelf life and hinders marketing, and must be the reason it is not available in this country.
The latest issue has an article about post-surgery blues, and I should tell you that earlier this year I had my 10th operation, and this was to remove a ‘dog-ear’ from under one arm. Although I didn’t want to have any unnecessary surgery, it certainly has made things a lot more comfortable for me, and was well worth it! Thank you once again for a brilliant magazine. Rita Price
I’m on Letrozole too In response to Muriel Mercer’s letter in the 24th issue of Amoena Life, I have been taking 2.5mg of letrozole daily since November 2006. This followed a five year course of tamoxifen. I understand that research shows a good preventative result in post-menopausal women for breast cancer, if it follows on from tamoxifen. I have had a few minor side effects which I attribute to letrozole, the main ones being tiredness and change of taste, e.g. I now find most alcoholic drinks unpalatable. I am having my bone density monitored and appointments with my oncologist have returned to six monthly. I understand I will take letrozole for 2–3 years depending on my tolerance of it and bone density results. Sheila Dunster
Letrozole and osteoporosis
However, one of the properties of the grape is that it is very high in antioxidants. It contains resveratrol, which is said to be helpful in reducing serum lipids and favourable for cardiovascular implications. The internet lists wine suppliers, so maybe they would be able to recommend an alternative grape available in this country with similar properties. They may not be as good but at least contain some of the health-giving ingredients. Mrs Julie Fidler
I am writing in reply to Muriel Mercer’s letter in Amoena Life issue 24. I have been prescribed letrozole after five years on tamoxifen, following a mastectomy and axillary dissection in November 2001. I have been told that there is about a 4–5% reduction in the risk of breast cancer recurrence. The ‘down’ side of this is that there is a high risk of osteoporosis and I have had a baseline DEXA scan to assess my bone strength. I am also on Megace, which kept my hot flushes under control during my tamoxifen treatment, and this has been continued. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone in the production of Amoena Life – it has been a great support over the years reading about other people’s experiences and realizing that I am not the only one to have the problems. Julia Haviland
Does anyone else have cancer of the sternum? In reply to Muriel Mercer I had a mastectomy and lymph nodes removed in October 1995. I was on tamoxifen for 7 years. In January 2006 I was diagnosed with cancer of the sternum and was prescribed letrozole. I wonder if any of your readers have cancer of the sternum? Pauline Gordon
Supplementary evidence In reply to Vivienne Venton’s letter about where to get red wine (resveratrol) extract, it is available from an American company called SupplementSpot.com. Email: help@supplementspot.com web: www. supplementspot.com. Their website is full of fascinating information about supplements for all sorts of things, including breast cancer. The great thing is that they also have links to summaries of recent research papers. Curcumin or Turmeric is another thing which is showing positive results against cancer cells. I am taking both and feel very well after a mastectomy in June this year. Hope this helps. Jane
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write back reader replies
Give Evershield a try In reply to Pamela Selwyn-Yates’ letter may I recommend that she considers using the Evershield deodorant stick from Forever Living Products. I too had breast cancer and although I had only three lymph nodes removed I also suffered more underarm odour than previously. I found this product to be extremely effective and, being a stick, very convenient to use. It is very economical as it lasts for ages, but most importantly it does not contain any Aluminium Salts, which has been linked to both breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Shirley
This works for body odour! Perhaps you could pass this information on to Pamela Selwyn-Yates – she may find it of help. I too suffered with acute body odour on the opposite side to surgery. I was told by the radiotherapists that radiation treatment stops your sweat glands working on the affected side, and I assumed the odour was due to the other under arm sweating for two! I have tried lots of deodorants and the only one that works for me is Bionsen aerosol. You can get Bionsen crystals which you mix with water but I found them absolutely useless. Bionsen deodorant works and is available at Sainsburys, Boots and Tesco. Hope this helps. Sue McRae
A crystal stick does the trick! I am replying to the letter sent to you from Pamela Selwyn-Yates. I had the same operation plus 20 lymph nodes removed, and had the same problem with body odour. Nothing worked. Then a friend who had a similar operation told me to try a crystal stick from the local heath shop. It is all natural and it worked for me, and I only use that now. I had to get used to not using my spray ones, but it does the trick and doesn’t mark your clothes. You wet the stone under the tap and use under your arm. I do hope this works for Pamela. Joyce Hill
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These potions will help In reply to Betty Goldstone, I am also taking capecitabine and my feet do get really bad (I play a lot of golf which doesn’t help, I suppose!). I have discovered a new cream for my feet. I found out about it from some ladies on the Breast Cancer Care website. It is called Udderly Smooth and is specifically designed for sore cows’ udders! However, it has been proved to be very effective for skin conditions, including chemo skin side effects. You can’t get it at pharmacies yet as it is still new (from Ohio, USA), but they are campaigning to get it in the shops. It is really cheap – £2.50 for hand or foot cream and £7.00 for a huge tub. You can only order it on the internet at the moment (go to www.udderlysmooth.com). I showed my breast care nurse at the hospital and also the nurses at the cancer day centre. They had a sample and said it felt good. Another cream to try is CCS foot cream (from Sweden). You can get it in Boots and it contains urea, which apparently is what keeps your skin supple and soft. That’s good too! Also from the hospital I get Diprobase, which is a good lotion too. My house seems to be full of potions and lotions! Hope this info may be of help to some of your readers. Pauline
Capecitabine – precautions are worth it! In response to Betty Goldstone’s query (Amoena Life, spring/summer 2007) – here is how I am trying to keep the side effects of capecitabine in check (successfully for 3 months so far): • Pyridoxine 50mg twice daily • daily application of E45 cream all over the body • generous application of Flexitol Heal Balm (from chemist) every morning and at night, both to feet and hands • application of Clarins Creme Jeunesse de Mains to the hands (and sometimes feet if they are particularly tingly and achy) every morning and evening, and in between, e.g. after getting hands wet • very regular application of lip balm (and cold sore/lip ointment when lips get cracked anyway) • keeping hands and feet dry and out of the sun as much as possible (e.g. using rubber gloves for washing up, etc.) This routine takes a bit of getting used to, but capecitabine is great! I haven’t felt so well in years! Ruth
Arimidex accelerated dental problems I read with interest the letter from Cath Sorsby, Issue 24, regarding the problems with her teeth. I was diagnosed in January 2002, had a mastectomy on the right side and partial on the left. I also had my lymph nodes removed, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In the summer last year I started losing teeth at quite a rapid rate, 12 in total, and went to the dentist. He felt it was a combination of reasons. Firstly, in my case there was a history of this happening on my father’s side of the family and so therefore a weakness. This was accelerated by the chemo & radio treatments. He had seen it in patients before. I am also on Arimidex but feel it was the treatments mainly causing the demise of my teeth. Sue Loosley
write back reader replies
Grateful for second chance First, thank you for your wonderful and informative magazine. I’m writing with reference to Janet Leek’s letter about the ‘Kylie effect’ when Janet discovered a lump after Kylie was diagnosed and waited five weeks before being seen. She also thought her GP’s letter was the cause of her long wait. I too went to my GP with a lump in April 2005. She immediately sent a letter to the hospital and in early May the news broke of Kylie’s cancer. Because the weeks went by with no appointment, I phoned the hospital three times, to be told twice that my case was ‘not urgent’ by a clerk! How could she know? Finally at the beginning of June I received an appointment for four weeks later. When I saw the consultant I was sent for a mammogram. Unfortunately the department was so busy I was told to return four days later, when I also had a biopsy. Later that week, nine and a half weeks after my visit to my GP, I was told I had an aggressive grade 3 tumour. My mastectomy and lymph node clearance was finally performed at the end of July. From start to finish the process had taken 3 months. Had the long delay aggravated my condition? I will never know. I enquired later through the Patients Line (where they can access medical notes) that as soon as Kylie was diagnosed the hospital was inundated. As to the comment ‘not urgent,’ my GP had written
Is my cancer ‘genetic inheritance’?
‘soon’ in her letter. In normal times I would have been seen in around two weeks but if she had written ‘urgent’ I probably would have been seen immediately. I had missed out by a week or so and poor Kylie was given the blame! Have any other women been given this excuse for the long wait around this time? I would be interested to hear from any of your readers.
In reply to Sarah’s letter about her genetic inheritance, although my journey with cancer is not identical to Sarah’s, I do have more than one cancer.
What can you do in a situation like that? Could I have pushed harder? In retrospect it also seems churlish to complain as from the moment of my diagnosis I received nothing but kind consideration and superb treatment.
My journey started in 2003 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer – the non-hormonal variety. I had a lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In 2005 it was discovered that I had bowel cancer, and secondary tumours on the liver (assumed to be secondary to the bowel). Surgery in both cases was the recommended course of action.
So many good and positive things came out of my cancer and probably, like so many of us, it was a wake-up call that gave us the chance to re-evaluate our lives. I appreciate my family and loving husband so much more and have made many new friends. I only heard one negative comment from one ‘old’ friend who, hearing of my diagnosis, said casually ‘Oh, you can take pills for that nowadays’!! I wish it was so easy!
Early in 2006 new secondary tumour growths on the lungs were discovered, and I was given a course of capecitabine. After three treatments my hands became so swollen my fingers were like little sausages, and my feet were so sore I found it extremely difficult to walk. Because of my extreme reaction to the drug it was necessary to reduce the dosage. As long as I was on the drug the tumours seemed to be contained but when I came off the drug they started to grow again, and I went on to develop further tumours on my bones.
I am grateful to be given a second chance. Although I cannot know what will happen in the future, at least I have one. On the day I was diagnosed – 7 July 2005 – I was sitting in out-patients waiting to be seen and the TV was showing the terrible London bombings. So many lives were snuffed out that day without warning. It made me realise that I am an extremely lucky person with hopefully many happy years to look forward to. Liz Adams
I am now being treated with Vinoralbine; I am half way through the treatment and the signs are positive. A rogue gene has not been mentioned, but I would be very interested to know about any research taking place in this field. Kath Wilkinson
Avoid soya products if you’re oestrogen positive In reply to Jo South’s letter regarding soya products and herbal remedies, we have an excellent breast clinic here in Lincoln and the general advice is to avoid soya products, particularly soya milks, especially if you have an oestrogen-positive cancer. Most treatments are designed to either remove oestrogen from the system and/or to prevent oestrogen from attaching to the tumour. Plant oestrogens may be good for some cancers, but in breast cancer, you are probably undoing the work of your treatment!
If you would like to hear from readers on a particular subject, or would like to reply to any of the letters featured in this issue of Amoena Life, please send your letters to Rhoda White, Editor, Amoena (UK) Ltd, FREEPOST, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4BJ or email rhoda.white@amoena.com
The same goes for herbal and similar remedies for the menopause. If they contain any form of oestrogen, or stimulate the body to produce it, seek expert advice first. As far as I know, the prescription drug Clonidine (Dixarit) is the only safe drug, as it works on the blood vessels. I’m not saying it’s a miracle cure, particularly if symptoms are severe, but worth a try. Elizabeth Hill
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write back write back index Over the last few years we have covered a wide range of subjects within our Write Back pages. If you’ve missed an issue for any reason and would like a copy, use the index below to find out which issues covered the topics you’re interested in. Subject
Request
Replies
Arimidex Alternative to tamoxifen Arimidex side effects Dry eyes Has Arimidex affected my teeth? Osteoporosis – Arimidex link
16, 17 17 20 21 24 23
17, 18 18 21 23
Body Image Feeling sexy again My husband won’t accept my surgery
15 12
16 16
11 15 16 21 16 16
12, 17, 19 16
16 19
17 20
Capecitabine Is anyone else on capecitabine? Side effects
20 24
21
Chemotherapy Neuropathy (fingernails) Watery eyes
11 16 17
12 17 18
Clinical trials
17
Emotional effects I’m hurting inside (dealing with depression) It’s so hard to be positive Overwhelmed by it all Struggling to see a future
20 17 15 14
21
Femara Is anyone else on Letrozole?
12 24
17
Breast reconstruction General experiences – good and bad How active can you be? Information on DIEP reconstruction Nerve damage Nipple reconstruction Radiotherapy following reconstruction Reconstruction went wrong – should you try again? SGAP Reconstruction
General Body odour concern 24 Caisse tea (Essaic) Chest pain/acid reflux 20 Dairy free diets 19 Dairy free tamoxifen Dry eyes 21 Early menopause 17 Energy levels low/fatigue/exhaustion 18, 22 Financial/employment problems 17 Hair loss (not chemo related) 21 Help with my hickman line 20 Locker room dilemma 15 Muscadine grapes (resveratrol) 24 Night cramps/leg cramps 22 Oestrogen negative breast cancer 21 Red clover 20 Relationships 19 Rogue gene 24 Sex drive increased/lack of 12, 14, 18 Under-active thyroid 19 Herceptin Are you on Herceptin too? Help with Herceptin
23 20
24
17 17
16 15
19 21 20, 21 19 23 19, 20 18 21 16 16, 23 21 13, 16, 19 20
Lymphoedema Lymphoedema of the arm 22 Lymphoedema of the breast 15
10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 23 17
Post-surgery problems Arm and chest pain Bleeding/discharge Cording/chest/scar and arm pain DCIS Dog-ear dilemma
14, 15 22 14, 15, 17, 18 22, 23 22
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Request
Post-surgery problems (continued) Itching 13, 21 Joint stiffness 20 Nerve damage 21 Numbness in arm/hand 21 Provera 21 Purple patch around scar 14 Waterworks problems 21
Replies 14, 16, 17, 19, 22 22, 24 22, 23 22
Pregnancy Is it safe to try for a baby?
13
14, 15
Radiotherapy Laser treatment for broken capillaries Reviving energy
23 12
24 13
Recurrence/secondary cancer Am I sitting on a time bomb? Diets/secondary cancer Local recurrence Lung secondaries Second time round is scarier
11, 15 22 16 21 22 23
11, 15 23 17 22
Surgery Bi-lateral mastectomy Elective mastectomy
19 19
20, 22
Tamoxifen Alternative treatment 23 Bleeding/discharge 18 Cold chills 23 Coming off tamoxifen 16, 17, 20 DVT Facial hair 17 Has anyone else had Lupus from tamoxifen 24 Hot flushes 22 How long should you take tamoxifen? 15 Natural alternatives 14, 16 Problems with cheaper brands Side effects 14, 15, 16 Visual disturbances 11, 23 Voice problems 11 Weight gain 12, 13, 17, 21 Will my hair recover? 23
14, 16, 17 17, 18, 21 14, 15, 16 11, 13 13, 16, 24 13 14 24
Tiredness/lack of energy I want my life back Will I ever feel better?
22 22
23, 24 23
Travel insurance
11
13
Types of breast cancer Grade 3 tumour Mammary angiosarcoma Pagets disease Phyllodes tumour
16 17 10 19
17 11 20
Younger women Please get in touch
18
20
Zoladex Side effects
18
19
19 16, 17, 18, 21, 24 19 18
24 21
Hodgkin’s disease Is Hodgkin’s treatment linked to breast cancer? 17 18
13, 15 21 13 21 21
Subject
You can also read many of these letters on our website at www.amoena.co.uk To order copies of any back issues, complete and return the order form on page 55. Back issues marked in red are no longer available; however we are able to supply a photocopy of the letters pages.
back issues
back issues Missed a copy of our magazine?
Don’t worry, back issues of our magazine are available, priced from £1 per issue. To order copies, please complete the back issues section on the coupon on page 55. Some of these reports are also available to read on our website at www.amoena.co.uk Issue 24 Post-surgery Blues: When ongoing problems won’t let you forget you’ve had breast cancer Bouncing Back: Is breast cancer the ultimate wake-up call? Issue 23 Minority Report: What if your cancer is oestrogen receptor negative? Coping Alone: Facing breast cancer on your own Issue 22 Double Trouble: When bilateral surgery is the only option Emotional Rollercoaster: Has breast cancer turned your life upside down? Issue 21 Gone with the Wind? How breast cancer changes young women’s lives Head Girl: Our guide to hair and skin care during chemotherapy Meltdown: How to keep your cool when hot flushes strike Issue 20 Never too young? How younger women face up to breast cancer East meets West: Our guide to complementary therapies Issue 19 Taking the Plunge: What’s breast reconstruction really like? The Power of Love: Will your relationship survive breast cancer? Issue 18 Reconstruction: Do I or Don’t I? Should you choose breast reconstruction? Mind over Mirror: Change the way you see yourself Issue 17 Chemical Assault: Coping with chemotherapy Issue 16 Beauty and the Breast: Learning to love your body again Issue 15 Lethal Legacy: Will your children inherit breast cancer? Issue 14 Feel Good Food: Think before you eat, you can make a difference Living in Fear: Overcoming the fear of recurrence Issue 13 Altered Images: How others react and how to handle it
Can you help us? To help us with reports planned for future issues of Amoena Life, we would like to hear from you about any of the following: Express yourself Has your recovery from breast cancer been helped along by creative therapies? If you’ve tapped into the healing powers of painting, music, colour, dance or any other creative outlet, we’d love to hear from you. Weighty issue While the medical profession is reluctant to recognise it, many women are convinced that their breast cancer treatment has resulted in weight gain. If you’re one of them, we’d like to hear about your experience and how you’re managing to battle the bulge!
Issue 12 Tamoxifen: Top tips for controlling the side effects Taken aside Many of the drug treatments given to women with breast cancer have side effects ranging from the unpleasant to the downright debilitating. Symptoms range from failing eyesight and thread veins to thinning hair, and from hot flushes to bone deterioration, and much more. If you’ve experienced any significant side effects, please tell us about them and how you’re coping with them. If you think you can help, please write to us, including brief details about yourself and the subjects that you’re interested in, to: Rhoda White, Amoena (UK) Ltd, Freepost, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 4BJ or email rhoda.white@amoena.com. Please mark the envelope ‘Can you help us?’.
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amoena life autumn/winter 2007
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back chat
Tired with the jargon that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis, Dianne Armitage reaches for her medical dictionary.
I
had an epiphany the other morning. It was in those wee hours when we really should be sleeping, but when many of us who have had breast cancer seem to wake up to think about things. So, the other morning when I wasn’t thinking about how tired I was going to be by the time I had to get up to go to work, I started wondering why it is that all of the terms we have to learn once we are diagnosed with breast cancer are so hard. Isn’t it bad enough we have to deal with a life threatening disease? Does every sentence uttered by our doctors after our diagnosis have to sound like it’s a foreign language? I took Latin and Greek derivatives, so I know a thing or two about root words – but cancer seems to have conjured up a language that can even confuse our doctors. Actually, I often wonder if things might not move along a bit more quickly if they would spend more time finding a cure, and less on thinking up some newfangled (and very hard to understand) word or phrase! I don’t know about the rest of you, but maths and science were not my strong suits. By the time I got to biology, I had started noticing boys, and found them much more interesting than some smelly frog. Granted, in retrospect, I know that my priorities were way off the mark – but you’ll have to admit that aftershave is much more pleasing to the senses than formaldehyde! Perhaps if they had bathed the frog in, say, Old Spice, Brut or Canoe, I would be a world renowned surgeon at this very moment! So there you are one day: healthy, happy, and fairly certain you understand the English language when whammo, you have a mammogram or biopsy that isn’t what it should be. Now, you’d think your
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doctor would realize this news, in itself, would pretty much ensure that you’re not going to understand much of what he or she says next, right? Rather than allow this disconcerting information to sink in, they immediately begin to talk to you about subjects as foreign as angiogenesis, topoisomerase inhibitors, Fluorouracil (5Fu), Epirubicin, Cytoxan and adjuvant therapy, as though you had somehow miraculously completed medical school while changing into your examination gown. During those first few moments, what you hear is ‘you have breast cancer.’ What you think is ‘I’m going to die!’ All of the comments about staging, options, benefits, and your actual diagnosis must be absorbed in very small increments – otherwise, I’m convinced our heads would simply implode! A brain that just a day earlier was pondering whether or not to tell the boss to take a flying leap – or how her husband would like a turkey meatloaf – or even if the kids were spending too much time on the computer – finds itself dealing with definitions that apparently need yet another definition to comprehend! Before I have everyone scurrying to their medical dictionaries, let me get back to my epiphany! I’d hate to think I actually had wasted that all important hour between 2:30 and 3:30 am! Here’s what I think we need to do, it’s a sort of ‘back to the basics’ kind of approach. Rather than spend time scaring the bejeezus out of us initially, I think that our healthcare professionals should start looking at us as what we are – lay people. Or maybe
better yet, lay children. I’m sure that phrase would be as foreign to some of the scientists cooking up all of these hard to understand, and ultimately life-altering concoctions, as their terminology is to us! Couldn’t the lab responsible for Cytoxan have simply said ‘it’s that icky green-flecked pill that makes you want to barf?’ I mean, there really is no sugar coating that little number! Don’t they realize that no matter how old we are, when we are told we have breast cancer, there is still a very scared child receiving this information? Sure, we may look like grown ups, but I’m here to tell you, there was a four year old trying to get me to run out of the room when I got my diagnosis! At about the time my doctor was telling me I had a Stage II, infiltrating ductal carcinoma – all I really wanted to hear was ‘you have a really bad boo boo, but I’m going to make it all better!’ Even as a child, we knew that tincture of iodine would sting, that stitches would hurt, and our cast might cause discomfort – but just having someone administering to our fears and allowing us to come to terms with our dilemma, went a long way to helping us deal with its reality. Why is it that once we’re ‘grown up’ it’s assumed we can somehow not only grasp the bad news being doled out to us – but also immediately know how to deal with it? Okay, maybe it wasn’t so much an epiphany, as lack of sleep. I’ll let you be the judge! In the meantime, here’s hoping all of your boo boos can be kissed away!
‘ Couldn’t the lab responsible for Cytoxan have simply said ‘it’s that icky green-flecked pill that makes you want to barf?’ I mean, there really is no sugar coating that little number!’
Illustration Noel Ford | www.fordcartoon.com
What’s up doc?
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In the next issue Facing breast cancer second time around The threat of recurrence is probably the biggest nightmare for every woman who has had breast cancer. In this feature we look at living in the shadow of recurrence – both the fear and the reality. We also talk to women whose breast cancer has spread to other parts of their body about coping with secondary breast cancer, as well as looking at how advances in medical treatment make living in the shadow less of a nightmare than it once was.
The power of positive thinking Can you think yourself well? We find out about the many ways of harnessing the brain’s extraordinary abilities to improve your chances of feeling better and coping positively with your diagnosis and treatment – from hypnotherapy to neurolinguistic programming and from counselling to coaching.
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look your best Call us on 0800 0728866 for a mail order brochure, or visit www.amoena-online.co.uk
every day You don’t have to change the way you dress following breast surgery. Amoena has everything you need to look and feel as good as ever. Lifelike breast forms that are easy to wear will give you confidence, comfort and a great outline. Complete the look with beautiful lingerie and head-turning swimwear. And now you can chill out in our new leisurewear, including strappy vest tops, tankinis and a cute beach dress.
Amoena (UK) Ltd 1 Eagle Close, Chandlers Ford Eastleigh, Hampshire SO53 4NF Tel: 023 80270345 Fax: 023 80260877 Website: www.amoena.co.uk