Boutique caters to those diagnosed with breast cancer

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Debbie Thames has been shopping at "About You" boutique for over a year. She first visited the South Tampa shop after getting diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2014. Not only did Debbie's health deteriorate soon after her diagnosis, her physical appearance changed drastically too.

"I worried about what I was going to look like in my clothes," said Debbie.

After months of rigorous chemotherpary treatments, Debbie lost all of her hair. Then in April 2015, she underwent a partial mastectomy.

"When it's a choice between living and not living that vanity kind of goes out the window," explained Debbie.

Thanks to the women at "About You," Debbie has had support each step of the way. The boutique fits women who've had a lumpectomy or mastectomy with specialized clothing and accessories.

"They understand and they're very understanding. And just they just care about what's going with you and I think that's important," said Debbie.

They care because they can relate. Jan Adams lost her mom and aunt to cancer; now she devotes her life to helping women find normalcy after treatment. 

"I thought I was blessed not to be diagnosed with it and I wanted to help as many people as I could," said Jan.

Jan helped Debbie choose her first wig and Anna Deiner helped fit Debbie with her first prosthesis. But they've done so much more than balance Debbie's appearance. Jan and Anna have helped Debbie regain her confidence too.

"I walked out of here looking like I wanted to look, like myself," said Debbie.