A breast cancer survivor who underwent a double mastectomy has turned her own recovery into a mission to help other women.
Sara Gmitro received her diagnosis shortly after Christmas last year.
“It was stage one breast cancer on my left side,” said Gmitro, who lives in Naperville. “I had known of women that did a lumpectomy and then five to 20 years later, it came back in the other one. So, I just decided if I remove them both at the same time, it’s just one less thing to worry about in the future. So, I had surgery January 30th. It was outpatient surgery, and I came home that night.”
A few weeks later, Sara discovered Knitted Knockers, knitted or crocheted breast prostheses for women who have undergone mastectomies or lumpectomies.
Sara taught herself how to knit a pair while waiting for her silicone prosthetics.
“You can put them inside a bra. They’re just like a little pillow,” she said. “You can wear them right away, pretty much right after surgery. I was excited to just have something to put in my bra at the beginning. I could see the value of it right away.”
Sara found strength in her medical team and a close-knit local community.
“There’s a directory of distributors and other people who make them and give them out for free. I reached out to a woman in Aurora, and we have become good friends. So, I would make them and give them to her,” she said. “A lot of medical clinics also keep them in their offices, so women don’t have to wait to order them online and have them mailed to them. I asked my surgeon, if she would like a set of the different cup sizes, different colors and things? ‘And she said, ‘Sure.’”
“It’s phenomenal that she’s gotten involved with us,” said Dr. Anna Chichura, breast surgical oncologist with Duly Health and Care’s Brian Moran Cancer Institute.
“Not only does it help women regain confidence immediately after surgery, but it also provides a very cost-effective way of having a breast prosthetic immediately after surgery,” she said. “Even with insurance, breast prosthetics can cost near $1,000. So having something that’s available for free is wonderful to offer to my patients.”
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