WIG & PROSTHESIS SALON TO OFFER FREE SERVICES TO BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine and the Illinois Affiliate of Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization opened the first downstate Y-ME Illinois Wig and Prosthesis Salon in Springfield on April 5th. Y-ME Illinois and the Breast Center at SIU is located in the Baylis Medical Building, 747 N. Rutledge, Springfield now. Breast Cancer patients, survivors and interested community members are invited to attend. There will be spa offerings of hair, skin and nail care along with complimentary massage therapy. There will also be free food, drinks and musical entertainment.

“We are pleased to be partnering with Y-ME Illinois and offering this unique service that often goes unfulfilled,” confirmed Dr. Gary Dunnington, director of the Breast Center at SIU.

The Y-ME Illinois Wig and Prosthesis Salon offers wigs, hats, scarves, breast prosthetics and prosthetic bras at no cost to breast cancer patients and other cancer patients with limited financial resources. Lisa Bobb, a trained fitter will be available to make sure women are properly sized for their items. Patients are invited to make an appointment and come into the salon for a personalized fitting. While appointments are preferred, walk-ins are also welcome. Y-ME Illinois also offers Open Door Meetings throughout the state of Illinois with groups in Springfield, Taylorville, the Chicago Metropolitan Area, and Northwestern Indiana.

Additionally peer support is available to breast cancer patients via the 24-hour Y-ME National Breast Cancer Hotline, fully staffed by trained breast cancer survivors. 24-hour Hotline: 800.221.2141 (English) / 800.986.9505 (Spanish).

The Breast Center at SIU is a multidisciplinary, research based clinic offering comprehensive care for breast cancer patients in central and southern Illinois.

The mission of Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is to ensure, through information, empowerment and peer support, that no one faces breast cancer alone. Y-ME Illinois provides assistance to the nearly 10,000 persons newly diagnosed with breast cancer in Illinois each year by offering free, local programs and services including: mobile mammography screening, educational workshops for adults and teens, a wig and prosthesis salon, a resource library and ongoing advocacy work throughout the state. For more information about Y-ME Illinois, call (312) 364-9071 or visit www.y-me.org/illinois.