POST MASTECTOMY SERVICES

Pampered Passions Fine Lingerie is your gateway to making your journey through Breast Cancer, with dedicated Post Mastectomy Fitters on staff, both in the Colorado Retail Store as well as by phone.

Pampered Passions Fine Lingerie & Post Mastectomy Services was born out of an experience that Alicia Vargo had in their Retail Store.

In 2003, just open a month, and woman in her late 50’s, early 60’s walked into the store.  She was a beautiful woman with fear in her eyes, looking for answers as she had recently been diagnosed with Breast Cancer, and her surgery was being expedited as it was Stage three at the time.  She would experience a Double Mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and radiation.  Her name is Ruth, and she was desperately looking for answers to many, many questions. Pampered Passions Fine Lingerie did not have answers for her that day.  She was not internet savvy, and wanted local support, and this most profound visit left Alicia Vargo unsettled, empathetic and disheartened.

Alicia took action immediately and within 2 months, a Post Mastectomy Department was born, she received her certification and hired a Registered and Certified Post Mastectomy Fitter.  Alicia states, “I was never going to have a woman grace our doors again that I did not have answers for to aid them through their challenges with Breast Cancer.” To date, Pampered Passions Post Mastectomy Department has fit 100’s of Breast Cancer Survivors in prosthesis, post mastectomy bras, post op garments, balance products for lumpectomy services and much more. See Post Mastectomy Bra Fitting Services.

Today, Pampered Passions Fine Lingerie and Post Mastectomy Services has 5 Post Mastectomy Fitters on staff, is endorsed by the American Cancer Society, Sky Ridge Medical Center, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers and many Plastic Surgeons from all over the country.

Alicia states, “ We can sew a pocket into almost any garment in our store, a pretty bra, an attractive camisole, beautiful chemises and gowns.”  Until recently, Breast Cancer Survivors only options were “granny bras”, in nude or white.  Today with the assistance on an “in-house” tailor and a Post Mastectomy tailor, we have a very creative outlet to make every woman feel confident and beautiful. Pampered Passions has one of the most extensive selections of beautiful pocketed post mastectomy bras.

Alicia is accessible to any Breast Cancer Survivor in any state who needs guidance and assistance.  Alicia’s main goal is to make a woman feel comfortable.  A short story of a woman who purchased two post op camisoles for after her surgery.  She telephone Pampered Passions after her double mastectomy crying.  It was tears of joy, as she woke up in her post op camisole that was trimmed with lace, and she felt feminine.

Alicia states, “There are no bad days in my life, after almost a decade of seeing the courage and strength of these women.  The best healing method is a spirit of optimism and a great attitude and perspective toward life.” “If I lose my car keys, spill my latte all over myself, or one of our children forget their back packs at school, it’s a whole different perspective and a completely different approach to the daily inconveniences in life.” “We are humble and blesses to work with these dynamic women!”

Pampered Passions Post Mastectomy’s mission for the last decade has been soley to assist women less fortunate, or women going through a challenging time in their lives. It has been a way of life for us and has turned into not only a social commitment, but a corporate care responsibility. This way of life, we call the “feel good junkie disease”, waking up every morning with the eagerness and excitement to assist another and make a difference in the daily lives of others.  To ease their burden just a little means the world to us.

Many hospitals and cancer centers encourage Pampered Passions to start a support group.  There was a desperate need in Colorado for a professionally run support group that could assist women at every stage of their journey through Breast Cancer.

Alicia walked into the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center and there was a woman dressed as a pirate waiting for her chemotherapy appointment.  This woman was dressed as a pirate along with a parrot on her shoulder and a hook at the end of her arm, in full costume.  She wanted to get to know this woman and find out why she was dressed as a pirate.

Tana, the pirate told her story to Alicia. She was simply dealing with her cancer in this manner as she was “stealing her life back”.  No need to walk the plank any longer, as the medical community has come so far, that breast cancer is curable.  So many ladies panic when they hear the word, “cancer”.

With the assistance of dear friends and family, Alicia and Tana created a support group called the “Breast Cancer Pirates”, stealing back one life at a time.
This support group has an interesting spin to it as it’s a Sponser-Sponseree Program.  Alicia pairs up newly diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients with women that have successfully come through Breast Cancer in a similar situation.  For example if a woman is a stage two or having a lumpectomy with radiation, no chemo, Alicia will pair this woman up with a Breast Cancer Survivor that had a similar experience. “It’s a personal relationship between the two women”, Alicia says. “They can talk on the phone, get together, and take the relationship wherever they would like it to go.”  Alicia plans to take this concept nationally to assist any/all newly diagnosed Breast Cancer patients.

For more information you can access Alicia at Alicia@pamperedpassions.com

For more information about the Breast Cancer Pirates Support Group go to:
www.pamperedpassions.com/breast-cancer-pirates

Breast cancer task force directory links:

American Cancer Society
Young Survival Coalition
Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers
University Cancer Center
MD Anderson
Hana Designs - Wigs
Soulstice
Plastic Surgery