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Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014
Sublime launches mastectomy swimwear
GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader
Shopping for a swimsuit can be stressful at the best of times. For women who have survived breast cancer, though, it can be even more harrowing. But one local shop is hoping to make the experience a lot smoother. Starting this month — which, fittingly, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — Sublime Swim and Sunwear has launched a new line of swimwear and activewear for women who have undergone mastectomies, helping them relax on vacation or stay physically active with confidence. “For me, (confidence) is the number one thing,” said Glenda Keohane, sales associate and special events co-ordinator at Sublime. “When they come in and they’re not sure of the size or the style they’d look good in, we help them with that. We give them some options and we guide them in the right direction. It’s so important that, when they leave here, they’re confident about the suit they’re wearing, and they’re not going to worry about it when they’re on the beach. They know when they put it on, they’re going to feel great in it.” Keohane knows first-hand about the needs of breast cancer survivors — she is one
Photo: GLENN COOK, St. Albert Leader
Glenda Keohane, special events co-ordinator at Sublime Swim and Sunwear, stands next to a mannequin modeling some of the store’s new line of mastectomy swimwear on Tuesday. herself. She was diagnosed 12 years ago this month and went through chemotherapy and radiation, but is now cancer-free. “It does take a toll on one’s body. It definitely made me more conscious of some of the clothing, the tops that I could and couldn’t wear,” she said.
The swimsuits included in this line include tankini and one-piece styles, are available in sizes eight to 14 and have pockets sewn in to accommodate mastectomy forms. These sorts of swimsuits were available in the past, but Keohane said they have become much more fashionable in recent years.
“I was so excited when I saw the suits, the tankinis,” she said. “The black-and-white looks beautiful. The criss-cross at the back is something ladies really like. Just the way it fits, and some ruching — that’s every lady’s friend.” Mastectomy swimwear also tends to have higher necklines to cover up scar tissue from radiation and surgery. Some other swimsuits Sublime carries can also be altered to include a pocket for mastectomy forms. “We understand not every cancer survivors is an eight to a 14,” Keohane said. “Some of them are into plus sizes, so we hope that we can accommodate those ladies also.” The activewear suits are 100 per cent polyester and are made for people wanting to take part in aquafit classes or in lane swimming. Further down the road, Keohane hopes that Sublime — which she calls a “store with a huge heart” — will be able to bring in an even bigger selection of mastectomy swimwear. “We really want to bring in some more selection for the ladies — more size variations, more colours, more options for them in those suits,” she said. “It’s a process; we’re growing the line and we’re growing that division in the store. But we’re really excited about it.”
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