How did you react to the diagnosis?
Noemie Cambon: On March 3, my gynecologist officially announced to me that I have stage 2 breast cancer. It had been a year since I felt a big painful lump in my right breast, which really came out during the first confinement. At the time, I had consulted a radiologist in Burgundy, where I was confined. According to him, it was nothing at all, a mastosis maybe. In short, this totally incompetent radiologist made me lose a year in my treatment. Fortunately there are very good doctors, there are more good ones than bad ones.
From March 3, things follow one another very quickly. I come out shaken from my gynecologist’s, tears are flowing, and like any mother, I immediately think of my daughter… and like any woman of my husband, whom I call but whom I don’t want to worry about. I just tell him that we are going to do exams, that we don’t know… but I know. I have an appointment with an oncologist a few days later. MRI, petscan, blood test to find out what type of cancer, if it’s genetic… and I’m starting chemotherapy on March 30. Thanks to them, and to Rafael Institute where I am followed, I benefit from all the innovations.
Despite the fatigue and this ordeal, you find the energy to create Wrap me up. How was the brand born?
For almost 6 months, my life was punctuated by chemo injections (EC then Taxol), but without it being painful. This is obviously tiring, but thanks to the approach developed at the Rafaël Institute, I discovered a new life, or rather another way of living which gave me unsuspected energy, but above all the courage to do “different thing”.
And doing something else for me was creating my own brand of scarf beanies. Everything came from a lack. With the loss of my hair, I wanted to remain feminine, especially since I have a particular approach to fashion since I have been working in this field for almost 20 years. After several weeks of research, I see that nothing exists for “cancerous women” to be able to wear pirate-style scarves, and not turbans, which for me are associated with cancer.
I buy bamboo hats on which close friends sew my scarves. This is how I invent the scarf hat that holds up in any situation. Months pass and everyone encourages me by telling me that it’s a brilliant idea, even my hair technician who is fantastic, finds the process incredible… So as I have more time, being on sick leave, I decide to register my brand Wrap Me Up Design by NC, with a “virtuous” concept by only hunting for old scarves, everything is done in Paris between my designer and me.
What are the benefits of such an initiative for you? For your fight against breast cancer?
Having set up my own brand and my company means a lot. This is proof that I am capable of doing something despite the illness. I found a goal, an objective, I reintegrate myself into society. I find a seat. I don’t just see myself as the sick person who is dependent on others and on the care they lavish on me, I take a gentler look at myself, I find a self-esteem I lost a long time ago.
I also found the silhouette of my 20 years, by taking care of myself, and I found pleasure in simple things. I now know what I want and especially what I no longer want. I also know that I’m strong, stronger than I thought, that I go through this ordeal with my head held high, without feeling sorry for myself. I wouldn’t say that this cancer saved my life, of course not, since I’m only halfway through my treatment… but this ordeal threw me into another life. There is the front, I am in the pendant, waiting for the after illness. I had chemo, I had a mastectomy, now I have radiotherapy and hormone therapy waiting for me. I don’t dread treatments, on the contrary, I’m “quite serene” because I don’t have time to think about cancer, or the future… Wrap Me Up design by NC is a bit like my therapy, my buoy of rescue, my crutch, and the symbol of my new self.
DiscoverWrap Me Up design by NC
Read also:
- Chemotherapy: how to limit the loss of nails and eyelashes?
- Chemotherapy: the cooling helmet, how does it work?
- Breast cancer: after treatment, as a spa treatment to clear your head
- Breast cancer: the benefits of psychological support
- Breast reconstruction after cancer: the rest to be borne, still a brake for some women
