On the eve of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Nome’s Norton Sound Regional Hospital is gearing up for what it hopes to be the beginning of a long-standing tradition. The Norton Sound Health Corporation is partnering with Nordstrom, an upscale department store, to host bra fittings at the hospital this Thursday and Friday, October 1 and 2.
About a year ago, local mammographer Merrilyn Blackmore was approached by a breast cancer patient looking for a new prosthesis. Blackmore’s patient had undergone a mastectomy, a surgical removal of one or both breasts used to either treat or prevent breast cancer.
Blackmore says, despite the patient’s basic need, she’d never been faced with that type of request before.
“I’ve never, in all the years I’ve been a mammographer, been involved in that aspect of a post-cancer patient’s needs,” Blackmore explained, “so I started doing a little digging and found out that Nordstrom plays a very big part, all over the state, to fit ladies who have had mastectomies with prosthesis and the special bra they need to wear.”
But, with the closest Nordstrom located hundreds of miles away in Anchorage, Blackmore and others at the hospital began brainstorming about how to serve the needs of breast cancer patients in western Alaska. Cathy DeAngelis, Manager of the Radiology Department, hopes that this event can address some of the challenges that those patients face living in such a remote region.
“People that live in a big city can just go to the store,” DeAngelis said, “but when you live here, you don’t know where to go, and you don’t often have the means to get there.”
For those that don’t have the means to get to Nome, Norton Sound will cover the cost of travel for patients with a prescription for a prosthesis.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also about prevention. The hospital is offering mammograms and DEXA bone density scans for qualifying patients. Whatever the insurance covers, Norton Sound will pick up the rest — and if a patient doesn’t have insurance, Norton Sound will cover the entire cost of the scans.
And if no time in October works, Blackmore stresses that, as long as a patient makes the appointment in October, she can schedule it in November and the coverage will still count.
Even though it’s targeted towards breast cancer awareness, Reba Lean, the hospital’s public relations specialist, explains that this event welcomes all women, whether they’re breast-feeding or just simply want to get fitted for a good bra.
“I know friends of mine who have had body changes over the years, whether it was due to a pregnancy or weight loss,” Lean said. “They don’t know their bra size anymore, and so, they’re excited to just take part in this,” adding, “you don’t necessarily have to be a patient — you just have to want to get fitted.”
Along with offering free fittings, Nordstrom will also bring a large selection of bras for purchase. To set up an appointment for a fitting, a mammogram, or a DEXA bone density scan, call Cassandra at Norton Sound at 907-443-3333.
