heart-shaped cushions for relief after mastectomy

THE ESSENTIAL

• Placed under the arm, the heart-shaped cushions relieve the tensions associated with the operation.
• The cancer league encourages all volunteers, professionals and amateurs alike, to make their own heart pillows.

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The health crisis did not allow the same mobilizations as usual for Pink October, a breast cancer awareness operation that takes place every year. The marches, the rallies, the running races have been postponed, because of the risk of contamination with Covid-19. So, thirty-five employees of the Health Insurance decided to mobilize differently: they made artisanal heart-shaped cushions to relieve the pain of women who have had a mastectomy, that is to say, a removal of the breast. . So far, they have produced 113. They have donated these heart pillows to the Eugène Marquis cancer center in Rennes.

A cushion that relieves the tensions of mastectomy

Nice to see, these heart-shaped cushions also have real virtues in reducing the pain associated with mastectomy. For this, women who have undergone this surgery must place them under the arm. Thus positioned, they relieve tensions and ailments associated with the operation. This heart cushion model dates from the 2000s. It was created in the United States by a doctor. A template and a tutorial are available on the website of the League against cancer.

And to make them, no need for a lot of material: 2 pieces of fabric imperatively 100% cotton (2 times 40 X 42 cm), thread, a sewing needle, pins, adhesive tape, a pair of fabric scissors , a pair of paper scissors, a tissue pen and 170g of polyester filling wadding only (no foam, no cotton wool, no kapok). Then all you have to do is follow the pattern and the tutorial to make this heart pillow.

Make your pillow and send it

On its site, the League against cancer also encourages all volunteers, professionals and amateurs, to make their own heart cushions. They will be able to give them to their departmental committees or to the Association’s Meeting and Information Areas. The latter will then be responsible for redistributing them to women who have had a mastectomy.

Each year in France, nearly 60,000 breast cancers are detected. It is the most common female cancer. But the earlier it is detected, the higher the chances of a cure. According to the Health Insurance website, there would be 99% five-year survival for breast cancer detected at an early stage and only 26% when diagnosed at a late stage.

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