Celebrating with the girls

On January 23 this year, I reached a milestone every cancer survivor aims for. I was five years cancer free!! Doctors are necessarily cautious in making declarations about being cured, since we know, at the moment, there is no cure for cancer. Nevertheless, I feel cured. My March mammogram and the follow up appointment with the wonderful Dr. George were confirmation of my ongoing good health.

In anticipation of reaching this milestone, I had purchased "Girls Night Out" last November at the Rotary Club Auction. This certificate allowed the bearer to bring seven friends together for an afternoon at Premier Jour Fine Lingerie and Swimwear, where owner Alicia Vianga and her sister would provide bra fittings for each of us and make suggestions about what undergarments best suit our various shapes.

We are out of focus in this pic but ready for the party!

I saw this as the perfect way to celebrate with and thank those women who had given so much to me during that first harrowing year of my cancer journey: my sister, Pauline, who spent a long day with me in February 2009 when I discovered I was a candidate for chemotherapy and a clinical study, and then sat through one of my chemo sessions with me in March; my other sister, Catherine, who also kept me company during a course of chemo; my close friend, Anne, whose expertise on medical questions was always helpful, who brought me flowers the day of my surgery, and who joined me at Dr. George's office post-surgery, ready to ask the necessary questions; my fellow newly retired teaching buddies, Janine and Susan, who came over for a visit the week after my surgery and took me on a shopping spree that day - later, Janine also sat through chemo with me;  my neighbourhood friend, Jeanette, who spent a Saturday with me as I shopped for wigs; and my mentor, Karen, a fellow breast cancer survivor, who also joined me for chemo session. I was never alone during the course of my cancer treatments. Perhaps that is why I fared as well as I did.

It took me a long time to find a date when all eight of us were free, but eventually, we agreed that June 8th, 2014 would work. Unfortunately, Karen had to withdraw from the group at the eleventh hour due to health concerns. Her place was taken by my younger daughter, Jess, who also had been a great support to me when I needed it. She had cooked meals and accompanied me to hospital appointments during my treatments.

Colourful lingerie

Some of the variety of bras available.

It was a fun day. We learned a great deal from Alicia, the owner of Premier Jour, an expert in bra fittings and post cancer prostheses after lumpectomies or mastectomies. Jeanette, who had been fitted recently, agreed to be our model. After a brief lesson on the workings of a good bra, many of us headed to a change room to wait for the staff to fit us. Oddly enough, we were not to concern ourselves with bra size. Alicia and her sister took charge.

Party food.

Eventually, we all got "locked and loaded" while we tried on beautifully crafted bras and swimsuits. A delicious selection of sushi and a cranberry punch kept us sated all afternoon. As part of the deal, we all got discounts on what we purchased, as well as a little pair of lace panties as a party favour.

All in all, it was a "fitting" way to celebrate with some of the best people I know.

On the way home feeling uplifted.