Breast Cancer Patient Finds Healing Partner in Missys’ Boutique

"Nothing in life prepares you for a cancer diagnosis. For me, there was a moment of confused disbelief. The shock of the word itself was disorienting. Later, I remember feeling overwhelmed – a rare sensation for me – by an unknown and frightful adversary. There was also a sense of being invaded, not just by the reality of cancer, but by the specter of cancer. It was my first thought in the morning and my last thought at night.

During those many weeks of treatment, when moments of anxiety and uncertainty tended to creep in unexpectedly, I found that the steadfastness of family and close friends and the medical skills of The University of Kansas Cancer Center team provided me with an essential underpinning of confidence.

Another important healing partner during my breast cancer journey was Missys’ Boutique. Because the corrosive nature of cancer can be so pervasive, taking its toll on all aspects of a patient’s existence – body, mind and spirit – it was important to me that avenues of healing be similarly pervasive. Whether it’s being measured for a postsurgery bra or camisole (as I was) or being fitted for a postchemotherapy wig, the expertise of Missys’ professional staff is outstanding.

Equally significant, many of Missys’ staff and volunteers have been through this journey. As former cancer patients, they know firsthand the emotional and physical realities of fighting and living with the disease. In many ways, cancer is a solitary journey. And that’s why the shared experience I found at Missys’ Boutique created a healing foundation of well-being and trust."

– Jami Parkison, breast cancer survivor and Missys’ Boutique client