No.115: What To Get Your Sister For Her Reconstructive Surgery

Sister relationships look different for everyone. Some sisters are more like friends. Some sisters can feel more like soul mates. Some sisters aren’t even related by blood, but they are chosen, family. Some sisters may not get along well or even at all. No matter if you are best friends with your sister, or have a complex, layered relationship, it can be scary and emotional when it comes to caring for them through a genetic mutation diagnosis or a breast cancer diagnosis.

Navigating the waters through mastectomies, treatment plans, and reconstructive processes can be complicated and difficult to understand at times. We know becausewe’ve been there.So if you are here looking for advice on how to love your sister through their breast surgeries, we can help with that. Whether it be a mastectomy, breast reconstruction, explant or revision surgery follow along for what to say, do and give to your sister in need.

What To Do (and Not Do) For Your Sister

Be specific when offering your help. It’s natural to offer your sis help in her time of need. But instead of just asking how you can help, get specific with what you are offering. Ask if you can clean her house, or do the grocery shopping for the week. Offer to do her laundry or walk her dog as often as possible until she is able to get back on her feet. This will take the pressure off her to ask for what she really needs if she is shy.

Unless they ask for it, don’t give them advice. Just because you read an article about how plant-based diets reduce people’s risk in getting cancer, doesn’t mean you necessarily need to share that with your newly diagnosed sister. Unless she asks for your help researching breast reconstruction types or treatment plans, it is best to keep your opinions on her reconstruction decisions and course of treatment to yourself. If she tells you she is planning on going flat after her mastectomy, and you don’t understand her decision, support her choice anyway. This will make her feel supported, heard and comfortable sharing her journey with you.

Prepare yourself emotionally for their emotional ups and downs.This may go without saying, but dealing with breast surgeries is emotionally difficult AF. Every single day will be different. Some days, your sister with BRCA1 may feel incredibly empowered by her choice to undergo a preventative double mastectomy, while other days she may suffer from self-doubt and anxiety surrounding her appearance and medical future. Whether she has a good or bad day, great news or heartbreaking news, rock through it with her and be there for her however you can.

Best Recovery Bra After Reconstruction

As your sister prepares for her reconstructive surgery, treat her to a top-of-the-line recovery bra for her to wear while she heals. When shopping for her, be sure to look for front closing bras that she can put on and clasp with minimal effort. The RoraFront Closure Bra is award-winning for a reason: Not only is it functional, but incredibly supportive, soft and thoughtfully designed to fit her body comfortably while her body is at it’s most sensitive. The fit, adjustability, softness, and versatility make it the perfect style to wear while she heals and beyond.

Model wearing a front closure bra in front of a window

The Front Closure will keep her comfy throughout her entire healing process.

Once she’s able to regain control of motion,The Molly Bra is the perfect next style for your sister to transition into. Make fabric softness the ultimate priority by adding this stretchy, breathable style into her post-mastectomy wardrobe that will soothe radiation, post-surgery sensitivity, chronic pain, radiation burns, or post-surgery scars. This super-soft, luxurious post-surgical bra is both pretty and cozy so she will be able to wear it around the house to relax in, but also out to dinner with her favorite low cut top.

This bra will fit your sister no matter what kind of breast surgery or recovery she is in including, single or double mastectomy, reconstruction surgery, FLAP reconstruction, lumpectomy and other breast surgeries including reduction.

Two friends wearing the Molly Bra hugging

The Molly Bra works whether she is unilateral, flat or reconstructed.

To top off her post-mastectomy at around-the-house healing outfits, get her The Miena Robe. It will not only compliment her AnaOno breast cancer recovery bras, but is also equipped with a custom-designed drain management belt that will keep her drains out of sight and out of the way. Once she is done healing, she can remove the belt and pair it with her favorite PJs or just wear it for #selfcare days for years to come.

Miena Robe and front closure bra on the ground

Front Closure + The Miena Robe = Best. Outfit. Ever.

No matter what kind of reconstruction your sister is undergoing, we know you will make sure she has the bras and support she needs to make it through the challenging days ahead. After all, what are sisters for if not to love on and take care of each other?