I need fashion advice from women who've had a mastectomy.

[hedgehog]

My elderly Mom has always had a strong interest in clothes and looking good. She had one breast removed last year due to cancer. I suspect she may not be using a prosthesis, it's too touchy a subject for me to ask her directly.

So, we'd like to get her some good looking clothes. Any suggestions as to styles or labels we should look at?

[shrike]

1. try breastfree.org

It's a website for women who've not had reconstruction.

Breastcancer.org also has a forum for women in that situation.

[hedgehog]

2. Many thanks!

:hi:

[shrike]

3. If you go to a thread on Breastcancer.org

called "Wardrobe pics for Boobless Days" (they don't mince words over there) you'll see lots of pictures, lots of choices. It's in the Breast Prostheses and Reconstruction Alternatives section.

I chose to reconstruct myself (bilateral mastectomy), am happy with the result, but as you'll see, those women who chose not to reconstruct can look pretty darn good.

[hedgehog]

4. Thanks again! I'm afraid my mother is old-school and has spent

65 years worried that this might happen to her, so you can imagine her distress. It's good to know that younger women have less of "It's the end of the world" attitude.

[shrike]

5. Oh, we can get that way too, but survival rates have increased so much

A breast cancer survivor is more likely to die of something else than she is of the cancer. You might want to tell your mom that.