My Biz: Business offers options, compassion to breast cancer survivors

NORTH LIBERTY — Cheryl Schlote can relate well to the clients she sees at her business, Scarlet’s Unmentionables in North Liberty.

Schlote’s shop caters to women who have undergone surgery for breast cancer. It offers custom fittings of mastectomy bras and breast prosthesis for women who have had a mastectomy, lumpectomy and reconstruction. Schlote is trained to scan for custom breast prostheses and do custom fitting of compression garments.

Schlote, 62, also is undergoing chemo treatments herself.

“I have stage 4 colon cancer that has metastasized to my liver,” she said. “Unfortunately, I'm not a candidate for surgery so I will be doing chemo for the rest of my life. But I'm in the best job to be going through this as the majority of my patients can relate to exactly where I am in my journey.”

Schlote has been working in the industry since 1994. Before that, she’d been working at a bank and as a bartender when a customer at her bar mentioned a job opportunity.

“He said you need to come work for me,” she said. “I said what do you do, and he responded ‘prosthetics,’ and I laughed. That was a world I knew nothing about.”

She ended up applying for and getting the job.

“My first day, I drove to Des Moines to a hotel conference room expecting to learn how to use the computers, but instead I walked into a room with women who were undressed from their waist up, and I thought ‘Oh, my goodness … wrong room!’ But it wasn't.

“These ladies ended up being models in our class of how to become a mastectomy fitter.”

Schlote spent two days learning about the different types of breast cancer and surgeries and the different types of prostheses and bras.

“Those women were so helpful in building our confidence and giving us valuable experience you couldn't get from a book.”

Helping with smiles

When Schlote worked with her first client for a mastectomy bra and breast prosthesis, she knew she’d found her calling.

“I was nervous and a little scared,” Schlote recalled, saying her client was dejected, shoulders down.

“She didn't want to look at me” she said. ”I ended up fitting her with a bra and breast prosthesis that fit her beautifully. When she raised her head and looked in the mirror, I saw this transformation in her that was amazing. Her eyes lit up, her shoulders went back, her chest came up, and then this beautiful smile came across her face.

“I thought, ‘Wow, I just did something incredible for this woman and all I did was help her with her garments and prosthesis.’ She was my hook, and right then, I realized my purpose in life. I'm honored to be able to help women every day gain their confidence and smile back.”

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‘Puzzle piece’

At Scarlet’s Unmentionables, Schlote is a one-woman band, as she likes to say, which allows her to offer personalized service to each client, by appointment only.

“My day is filled with fittings, and each woman's needs are different. That's the exciting part,” she said. “You're trying to mimic what they have lost to surgery and find the breast prosthesis that fits them the best, giving them back balance and symmetry. It's like finding that missing puzzle piece.

“I really do enjoy being able to work through some difficult challenges, but most of all seeing the smiles on the women's faces when the fitting is done, and they are walking out the door with their bras and breast prosthesis, feeling like themselves again.”

Some of the challenges she appreciates less.

“Not only do I do the fittings, but I also do all the insurance billings, the ordering and receiving, and scheduling,” Schlote said. “Some days it's very overwhelming trying to keep up, especially the insurance. I try so hard to get it all right the first time, but one little wrong keystroke and the claim gets denied. Insurance companies are also not great at paying quickly so it ties up a lot of my funds just waiting.”

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Bigger space

Schlote, even though she was going through chemo treatments herself, was able to recently relocate her business to a larger space in North Liberty, which helps support continued growth of her services.

“My new space is wonderful and much larger than my previous area. … It’s nice to spread out,” she said. “Before everything was in one room. … Cozy was an appropriate term. Now, I have three separate rooms, an office, a large private fitting room, and a stock room.”

Schlote said her goal is to make client visits to Scarlet’s Unmentionables as comfortable as possible.

“I understand what I do can be very scary at first for women coming to see me,” she said. “They have already been through so much, and they don't really have any idea what to expect when they come to me.

“But I take time to listen and understand their needs and wants and sometimes they just need to vent. That's OK. I'm here to listen. The more we talk, the more we become almost friends, and pretty soon the fear is gone, and they are excited to start the process.

“Sometimes, there are lots of tears shed. But in the end, the smile appears. That's what's important to me.”

Know a business that should be considered for a “My Biz” feature? Let us know by emailing mary.sharp@thegazette.com.

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