SENIORSTODAY.COM.AU
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Choice for cancer patients By Tania Phillips
Choices Clinical Nurse Manager Janine Porter-Steele. and post treatment. “In the cancer world we tend to give people a prescription for everything else but when they finish treatment that’s often a time that people feel lost or alone. Everybody’s gone away because their treatment has gone away – there’s all of those lasting side-affects so I spent a lot of time in that space.” She said even though they are part of the Wesley Hospital anyone can
Life after mastectomy The breast cancer journey is incredibly challenging, but one sacrifice you don’t have to make is how you look in your own clothes after recovery according to the team at Tracey G. Some ladies choose the reconstruction path after mastectomy, but for those who don’t there’s no reason why they can’t look beautiful in their own clothes again. Gone are the days where a lady has to settle for second best in terms of look and fit. No being uncomfortable all day in a poorly fitted bra and definitely no more “frumpy” lingerie. The first step in regaining a silhouette are breast forms. There are dozens of shapes, weights and sizes to choose from which’ll match the remaining breast perfectly. If woman has had a bilateral mastectomy, the size they become is now up to them! There are also breast forms that can be used whilst swimming or exercising, so their lifestyle doesn’t have to change. Post mastectomy wear such as lingerie, swimwear, sportswear and casual wear have also gone ahead in leaps and bounds in terms of support, style and comfort. According to the Tracey G team other great news is that the federal government will cover the cost of your breast prosthesis up to $400, per breast every two years for the rest of your life. Many private health funds cover the cost of post mastectomy garments. The team believe the key to enjoy-
come to Choices. “We don’t care where they’re treated or diagnosed – when they come here they can access me for those things we talked about and we’ve a peer-support co-ordinator – someone whose got that lived experience of cancer. That’s Leonie and she can support through all those practical things around managing in the context of family and friends – all sorts of things really. We also have
A Bra for every woman Now stocking more brands and the largest size range from AA to K.
A fitting. ing the fitting, and looking beautiful in your own clothes, is to have a professional fitting by a trained lingerie and prosthesis fitter. At Tracey G Maroochydore and East Brisbane the team are Amoena trained and certified fitters and won’t be satisfied with your new look unless you are. Some additional services they offer at Tracey G include a comprehensive range of post-surgical garments, full figure and maternity lingerie. Tracey G Prosthetics and Lingerie are located in East Brisbane at 976 Stanley Street East and Norval Court Maroochydore. Contact us on 0466 828143 or go to traceyg.com.
Great news for the women of Brisbane who struggle to find a well - fitted bra. Our new bigger brighter store has enabled us to expand our range to include sports bras, full figure and maternity as well as our traditional post mastectomy wear. Our goal is expertly fit your bra so you feel amazing in your clothes. Visit our new store and experience the Tracey G service.
12505505-JW35-21
It started in memory of the late Kim Walters, wife of current Bronco’s coach Kevin Walters, who died of breast cancer in 1998 but the Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre has become a centre to support women and men of all ages as they go through and beyond the cancer journey. According to Choices Clinical Nurse Manager Janine Porter-Steele the centre helps patients through the emotional turmoil and difficult decisionmaking process following a diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond, as patients focus on wellness after cancer. As well as managing the Choices Program she is also active with in the program – supporting the team, volunteers and patients who come in. “A lot of what I do is providing information around treatment, around the time of diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond,” she said. “My background is cancer care nursing and I’m a breast care nurse. I also have a research background which is kind of important for this program because we like to make sure that the things we do are evidence-based. At that rate we can make sure people get the very best we can give them. I’ve spent a lot of time talking about managing side-affects of treatment – that sort of thing. Another focus for me is keeping people well during treatment
a counsellor here for those other emotional needs particularly when they’re diagnosed or they have a reoccurrence. “We all have distinct roles but they overlap a bit because we’re all providing information and support and we have a great group of volunteers who do things like answer the phones, make-up our folders, talk to people when they come in, make turbans for us – all sorts of things,” She said Choices offered all sorts of programs though at the moment because of Covid they had to adapt and were doing quite a lot by Zoom. “We have a yoga program, an art therapy program, writing therapy. When we were able to people in we have a specific gym program for during treatment and post treatment. We have complimentary therapies so we visit the wards, we have a therapist go to the wards particularly palliative care, oncology and those people can have Raki, reflexology or Indian head massage and we do that as an outpatient situation down here too. “There are lots and lots of things coming on.” Janine said people interested in the program can self refer, their doctors can refer, oncologists, surgeons, friends. “They can just ring up – it’s pretty easy and we’re here for as much or as little as people need us,” she said.
967 STANLEY ST, EAST BRISBANE • 0466 828 143 ALSO AT - Unit 6, 1 NORVAL COURT, MAROOCHYDORE Phone: 0466 828 144
WWW.TRACEYG.COM SPRING: SEPTEMBER 2021 SENIORS TODAY 15
