Breast cancer awareness drive

The drive is aimed at encouraging women from all walks of life to donate bras to women who have undergone breast cancer treatment.

Reach for Recovery is a support group of trained volunteers who have personally experienced breast cancer and its treatment. They bring a message of hope to newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients by providing emotional and practical support.

The campaign asks woman to donate gently used, wearable bras of all sizes including sports, feeding, underwire, wireless and mastectomy bras, and camisoles, pyjamas and dressing gowns. All these items are donated to aid breast cancer sufferers after surgery, and the Uplift Project for women in disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

Greta Treisman, a survivor of breast cancer helps run the Reach for Recovery support group. She visits woman in hospital and offers them moral support and practical advice.

“We give them kits to assist with recovery straight after the mastectomy,” she said.

The owner of the lingerie shop, Julia Sutton started the drive because women who undergo the operation often do not have bras that fit them.

“We encourage women to donate as they can be reused in recovery,” said Sutton. Women who donate get discount vouchers for the shop, so in turn they also feel good about themselves.

Sutton’s colleague, Monique Muller who is also a breast cancer survivor said, “It does not matter what size or shape we are, or if we only have one breast, we deserve to feel sexy.

“It does not matter what we look like, once that lingerie is on, we feel good.”

Details: www.simplygorgeous.co.za