Cancer survivors puttin’ on The Ritz

BY NANCY SPENCER

DHI Media Editor

nspencer@delphosherald.com

LIMA
—Women worldwide struggle daily with body image and what they see and
what they believe everyone else sees. Breast cancer can make those
issues worse. After a lumpectomy, mastectomy or reconstructive surgery,
women can become even more self-conscious. Dealing with a woman’s body
image is what the employees at The Ritz in Lima do best.

“So many
women come in here and they are scared and they don’t feel in control,”
Ritz owner Kathy (Suever) Kahle said. “A lot of times the doctor will
just say, ‘You have breast cancer and we need to operate’ but they don’t
tell them what happens afterwards.”

That’s where Kahle and her team come in.

“We
can talk them through the different stages and what they will need for
each one. We understand how they feel. I’ve lost several family members
to cancer, including an aunt to breast cancer,” Kahle said. “We give the
personal aspect to go with the medical aspect and we have an intimate
setting to accomplish that.”

The process for what a woman needs
after a lumpectomy or mastectomy is Kahle”s forte. The Ritz makes sure
there are pamphlets and other informational items in doctors’ offices
throughout the region.

“There is nearly a year of stages after a
woman has had surgery,” Kahle said. “A lot of women don’t know they need
a post-surgical camis with pockets that hold the drain tubes. They need
that the first day after surgery.”

Often it’s a husband that comes in for his wife.

“These
guys are more scared than their wives and to make it worse, they are in
a lingerie store and feeling a bit awkward,” Kahle said. “We put them
at ease and we know exactly what they need to go back to the hospital
with and it’s just so rewarding to help.”

Kahle has a better scenario.

“The
best time to come in is before surgery,” she said. “Women can come in
and ask questions and we can explain the process and let them know they
aren’t alone.”

Once the drainage tubes come out, women are fitted with a bra with room for “puffs” or preliminary prosthesis.

“The
puffs are very light and soft and can give a woman an idea of what she
can look like,” Kahle said. “They are kinder to the body while it’s
still healing.”

The final stage is begin fitted for permanent
prostheses and choosing the undergarment to hold them. Function isn’t
the only focus, either. Many of the bras needed for recovery and life
after come in a variety of colors and styles to suit a woman’s taste.

“Gone
are the days of plain, dull bras for those recovering from breast
cancer surgeries,” Kahle said. “Once they get past the stage where the
drainage tubes come out, we have those pretty, lacy bras everyone wants
and they can accommodate most prostheses. We also have a lot of styles
with the matching panties. It’s just like shopping anywhere else.”

The Ritz also offers custom bra fittings for all women.

Kahle and her team’s goal is to make every woman who comes to them leave feeling beautiful.

“At
the end of the day, I know I have done my job when a woman leaves here
and feels beautiful and in control of her life and body,” Kahle said.
“We all suffer from some negative body image. We all want to be
accepted. We know we can help with a big one.”

Kahle is a 1984
Jefferson High School graduate and Landeck native. She and her husband,
Joe, have two daughters, Lauren, 24, and Rachel. They reside in
Spencerville.

The Ritz is located at 825 W. Market St. in Lima, across from St. Rita’s parking lot.

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