Saturday 9 June 2012

Lisa B and FFOH

I want to bring a great business to light with my blog here today.  Not many people know of this business because not everyone has had to use it but the folks that run it have come into my life at a time when I needed a breath of freshness.  They have been just what I needed. 

You see, a little over a year ago, we had an applicant that was living on abut 890.00 dollars per month.  She had repeated surgeries that continued to go deeper and deeper.  Part of her problem was a hole in her chest that remained after her first surgery for about two years.  This hole was infected and leaked pus and liquid for the entire time.  For two years.  The doctors could not clear it up and kept cutting deeper and deeper to try and fix it.  Eventually they did get that looked after.  Her surgeries were repeated, radical and very disfiguring.  The scaring was deep. 

In a situation like this a normal prosthetic doesn't work.  You can't just put a stuffed bra over a rib cage and go to a wedding.  

And this is when we at FFOH heard about Lisa B Originals.  The owners are Pam and Garry.  Very nice people that are kind and giving.  We spoke about the estimate they gave us about the prosthetic for our mutual client.  They explained the estimate for me and I am very glad they did.  The prosthetic cost 3800.00 dollars.  They had to make a prosthetic for this woman that went from her collar bone to the bottom of her rib cage and wrapped under her arms. 

My point in this description is that when women have breast cancer it doesn't mean they just lose a breast.  We have this vision of a woman with only one breast with a small scar in the straight line across the other side of her chest.  Geez what is all the complaining about right?  Imagine the damage done to this woman that required a prosthetic of this extent. 

They explained how the procedure worked.  Each prosthetic is custom made for the women.  They look and feel very human.  The prosthetics even have nipples.  And the best part is if you know you are set to have a breast removed they can take a mould of yours and build you the exact same boob or boobs you are set to lose right down to the nipples and veins.  They do this without ever seeing you naked. 

I seen an example of Garry's work in a bar in Regina.  We were at a meeting for stakeholders of breast cancer and a few of us went to get a bite to eat after the meeting.  Garry brought in a sample of his work and passed it around the table...oddly enough.  I remarked that it probably used to cost him a lot in drinks to end up in a bar with a boob in his hand but this was way easier.  (Sorry I have a tasteless sense of humor.) The boobs they build also stick to the skin with a special adhesive so you can actually move around with them on. 

I have included a link to their site so you can check them out.  And if you are in the area and need a boob...I mean other than the one you are married too, (see tasteless humor.  But you laughed didn't you?)  stop by the shop and let them help you out. 

They have also become huge helpers for FFOH.  They came to the auction and Garry let us auction him off as a server.  They also brought a table of women.  They are going to sell our quilt tickets and our night at the casino tickets.  Pam has a choir that is going to provide the back up music for the night at the casino event.  The amount of help and support they have given and continue to give is amazing. 

http://www.lisaboriginals.ca/

Sask Health gave eight or nine hundred dollars for this prostetic.  We gave 2000.00.  Garry and Pam donated their time and money for the rest.  We helped to give this woman her dignity and confidence back. 

So well it is fresh in your mind, our AGM is Sunday at 2 PM at the Qu'Appelle library in Qu'Appelle.
We are going to decide on the decisions that will shape our year.  Decide on some new fundraising ideas and set the direction for our eleventh year.  Come out and lend an idea.  PS Coming to the meeting does not mean you will have to join the board or donate your time for the rest of the year.  This is just a meeting.  We would love to see you all there. 

Thanks for the reads today. 
Please share this one with your friends.  This is another direct example of the work we do. 

"To the world you may only be one person but to one person you may be their world. "

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