Bamboozled

Our very first guest blogger, Clare Reed, is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist who specialises in working with cancer patients. In her practice, Clare meets many cancer patients suffering from low self esteem during treatment.

Clare's fascinating and candid blog poses the question why does self-esteem go missing during cancer treatment?

We would always recommend a professional bra fitting where possible, but if that's not an option for you, we hope this guide will help you find your perfect post surgery bra.

Choosing a post surgery bra follows much the same process as for all bras, although there are some important points to note.

Exercise can bring incredible benefits post breast cancer treatment. In the aftermath of surgery it can help you get your strength and mobility back so you can get back to doing all the things you did before your treatment. And in the longer term, a combination of fitness and strength training will not only help you feel better, but can also help reduce the risk of the cancer coming back and lower your risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes.

In the Spring of 2004, my mother began complaining of a pain in her hip. I suggested she see a physio. Ten years earlier she had had breast cancer. It didn’t occur to me for a moment that the cancer had come back. By the time we found out that it was secondary (or metastatic) breast cancer, the disease had spread throughout her body. She died in the Spring of 2005.

I don’t talk about it much, and never publicly. But a woman called Jo Taylor made me think twice.

Worrying about looking good when you’re battling cancer might at first glance seem trivial, but the truth is for a lot of women it’s not. Many cancer treatments have visible side effects which can make you feel self-conscious and less confident.

We think that anything that helps you take your mind off your treatment and feel more like yourself can only be a good thing, so in our latest blog we’re suggesting a little pampering this holiday season!