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Who
needs a Necessities Bag?
The Necessities Bag is for women with breast
cancer who are scheduled for mastectomy
surgery. It offers practical guidance and
essential supplies to prepare a woman for a
mastectomy and recovery at home.
The Necessities Bag is a valuable resource
for surgeons and nurses helping them prepare
patients for the hospital experience and the
challenges of homecoming.
Why a
Necessities Bag?
In the days leading up to the surgery,
anxiety is triggered by the simplest tasks,
like packing for the hospital. While no
surgical case is the same, the human
challenges of mastectomy and reconstruction
, i.e. wound care, hygiene issues, and
personal comfort are essentially similar.
Bandages can be very costly and every woman,
regardless of economic situation, who has to
deal with the trauma of losing a breast to
cancer, should have what she needs to get
through the first few days of homecoming.
What is in a Necessities Bag?
The Necessities Bag is a reusable canvas
tote filled with super-soft bandages, gauze
pads and other wound care essentials, as
well as items for personal hygiene and
comfort. The Necessities Bag is offered free
of charge to women and only distributed by
surgeons, nurses, or breast cancer support
centers. The information and supplies are a
supplement to surgeon’s instructions. The
program is funded by individuals,
foundations, and businesses. The mission of
Necessities is to provide information and
supplies for mastectomy patients and to help
surgeons and nurses prepare their patients
for the hospital experience and recovery at
home.
Who
benefits?
• Mastectomy patients
• Surgeons, nurses, and counselors have
access to a valuable resource
• Survivors assembling Necessities Bags find
that the activity aids their recovery
• Hospital community outreach profiles
• Community groups who wish to support women
in their community battling breast cancer
• Donors looking for a personal and
immediate outreach.
How
it works.
• RiverBend Cancer
Services and Bosom Buddies
have assumed the
responsibility of the Necessities Bag
program including funding, assembling, and
delivering bags to surgeons, nurses or
support centers where women are given
instructions about their upcoming surgery.
• A pre-determined supply of Necessities
Bags are delivered on a monthly basis.
• Surgeons and nurses agree to give the bag
to their patients BEFORE surgery. This
allows time for women to prepare
appropriately for the hospital stay and the
challenges of homecoming. Concerns may be
addressed and questions asked and answered.
Who
Created the Necessities Bag?
The Necessities Bag™ was created by
Maureen Lutz of Ridgefield, Connecticut
after her own mastectomy and reconstruction
surgery to give women practical guidance
about preparing for major surgery and
recovery at home. Maureen also created The
Necessities Woman to Woman Guide to Prepare
for Mastectomy© which offers suggestions on
how to pack for the hospital and what to
have on hand for homecoming.
The Necessities Bag Project is sponsored by
Bosom Buddies and
RiverBend Cancer Services
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