Foundation Restores Cancer Survivors’ Confidence with Mastectomy Bras

Rebecca Ejifoma

Bricon Global Consult Ltd, a nongovernmental organisation, has restored the hope and confidence of breast cancer survivors’ who lost their breasts during surgery (radical mastectomy).

The boost came in form of available prostheses and mastectomy brassieres during a two days Breast Care Exhibition on Silicon Breast Forms and Mastectomy Brassieres held in Lagos recently.

A survivor, Mrs. Hamzat E (pseudo name), who could not contain her excitement said: “I had searched for the bras after I had mastectomy in 1993 in Nigeria but futile until now that I have been able to get one. I have a par for myself now.

“One of my friends went for plastic surgery at the cost of N4 million. She was not aware of this special brassier. I recommend the silicon brassier to other survivors out there,” she said.

Bemoaning that most survivors, who do not have access to the brassieres, are prone to stigmatisation, which could lead to psychological problems, Hamzat charged government at all levels for access.

The Managing Director, Bricon Global Consult, Ms Abigail Simon-Hart, told newsmen that the breast care expo was to resuscitate the confidence of breast cancer survivors as well as restore normalcy in their lives and counsel survivors.

She said: “For a woman, normalcy is getting her breast back. Some women do reconstruction. But how many people can afford it? One of the buyers, who came today, said she regretted doing reconstruction for N4 million upon seeing these out.”

Haven donated over 300 mastectomy brassieres to breast cancer survivors through her foundation, Simon-Hart said this was her way of assisting survivors, being a survivor too, who uses prostheses.

She encouraged: “I want breast cancer patients to know that there is no shame in having breast cancer. They should not allow the fear of losing their breasts to discourage them from seeking medical attention.”

She revealed that some breast cancer patients reject mastectomy. “Some women prefer to die than have their breasts removed. We had four cases of women like that. They vehemently refused mastectomy. They died eventually.”