LOSING MY BREAST INSPIRED MY BUSINESS Simplyme
“My name is Eunice Muriuki, I am 33 and a proud breast cancer survivor. Growing up I was quite sickly. I was born with a condition called Vesicoureteral (ves-ih-koe-yoo-REE-tur-ul) reflux.
It is the abnormal flow of urine from your bladder back up the tubes (ureters) that connect your kidneys to your bladder. Normally, urine flows only down from your kidneys to your bladder. So in short I have been seeing an Urologist/ Gynecologist for a long time.
When I reached puberty, my doctors started treating me as a woman i.e. they did all tests and check-ups as pertained to womanhood, breast and pelvic area scans just to make sure I was okay. But in 2007 I had a complication that warranted surgery, aggressive treatment and follow-ups, so my breasts and pelvic area took a back burner for 3years.
In 2010, as I was having my usual check-ups, I reminded the doctor that we had not done the breast or pelvic scans for a while. So he did a physical breast exam as he sent me for the pelvic scan, in his physical examination he said that he felt something, but not to alarm me he wanted a second opinion.
He sent me to a surgeon friend of his who specializes in breast related issues. Upon receiving me, the surgeon did a Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) or Fine Needle Biopsy which aims to remove cells from a suspicious lump in the breast and its only used for lumps that can be felt.
The results came back none conclusive, the surgeon suggested we take out the whole lump and do a full biopsy on it, which we did. Because the first results were none conclusive I was not worried of the second results and as I waited life continued as normal.
The Diagnosis
I remember the lump was removed in November 2010 and we got the results is May 2011 The results said that that I had Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, a type of breast cancer that begins in the milk-producing glands (lobules) of the breast. Invasive cancer on the other hand means the cancer cells have broken out of the lobule where they began and have the potential to spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body. Invasive lobular carcinoma which I had makes up a small portion of all breast cancers. The most common type of breast cancer begins in the breast ducts (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma).
When I was diagnosed, I went numb. I did not give myself the opportunity to think about it, because I received the results on a Friday evening, and the following week Monday morning the surgery was to take place.
On the material day all hell broke loss, the thought of losing my breast was too much, all these thoughts were running wild in my mind and I broke down.
We had to delay the surgery for 30minutes; my surgeon was so understanding and gracious in giving me a few minutes to grief. When I looked at my mum, I told myself that I had to be brave for her. The look of despair in her face was heartbreaking because I have always been a sickly child and she thought this was it, she will loss her child.
After the surgery and when the bandages came off, I realized I had a flat chest on one side. So I asked my doctor what’s next and he did not have an answer, this is when I realized this is a common problem faced by women who have gone through the disease and have lost one or both breasts.
I thought about breast prosthesis and what a difference it would make, I managed to get for myself from friends abroad for personal use.
In one of my checkups, another survivor sited next to me commented and asked me how come my breasts were so even and hers were not.
I told her I had breast prosthesis and a bra to go with it, she asked how she can get some and that’s how it all started. I did my research and came across a company which I contacted to allow me to become one of their distributors into the East African market. As they say the rest is history. My experience with Breast Cancer inspired my business SimplyMe.
ABOUT MY BUSINESS SimplyMe
Being a breast cancer survivor, I can empathize as well as sympathize with the ladies I come in contact with. I was once where they are and I overcame. Women who do not know where to begin after their surgeries in the sense of going back to their normal lives can now do so with ease through the products they get at SimplyMe. I would also like to develop a budget line of post mastectomy bras that are not only functional but sexy too.
Currently, I work closely with doctors and nurses for referrals. In the near future
, I plan to take SimplyMe into the rest of East Africa, most of the women diagnosed with breast cancer or any another form of cancer in East Africa come to Kenya for treatment.
Thus this is the hub for my business and I am always looking for partners in our neighboring countries, then who knows, I can take SimplyMe to the rest of Africa.
Am always on the lookout for new outlets for my bras and prosthesis and am always asked where I am based. I do not have a permanent location so I welcome proposals from anyone with a lingerie store interested to partner with me.
Please also tell a friend or colleagues about SimplyMe it could make a huge difference in the life of someone they know who has gone through Breast Cancer and lost a breast or both.”
Want to get in touch with Eunice or want to know more about SimplyMe?
You can reach her on 0723 984525 or 0735 815779
Email address info@simplyme-boutique.com
Facebook.com/SimplyMeKenya
Website: www. simplyme-boutique.com