“For bosoms great and small, uneven or none at all,” is the refrain of Garran boutique, Colleen’s Lingerie and Swimwear.

There I joined local woman Belinda ‘Bin’ Barnier as she shops for “a pair of boobs”.

Warm and upbeat, she talks me through her three decades in the not-for-profit sector, helping the community through Red Cross, the Canberra Theatre, and now as a manager at OzHarvest.

In fact, she came across Colleen’s while working at the Leukaemia Foundation, just a half-kilometre away. It was her lunch haunt, and where she met store manager and now good friend, Gillian.

“Then in November 2019, out of the blue, I was diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer,” recounts Bin. “It was triple negative, meaning it could go straight to the brain and lungs very quickly.

“From diagnosis to being in hospital was a matter of about 10 days. It was a blessing that I happened to know this store was here. It became my safety net.

“I came in, a bit like a stunned mullet. I was shocked because I felt so healthy. I wasn’t sick but I was about to go to hospital.

“The ladies here were gentle and caring. They took me through to a change room and very kindly gave me some advice. For a second, it wasn’t overwhelming.

“They said they would be there to see me through the process. I felt safe.”

Behind closed doors, Bin shows me the scars where her breasts had been removed. Her eyes light up when she sees a garment in the back of the room.

“This is the one I took to hospital!” She exclaims, grabbing the bra. “It’s soft-form, which was so very nice that I will never, ever wear an underwire again.”

You wouldn’t know from her sunny nature, early diagnosis, and full recovery, but Bin’s breast cancer journey was filled with pain and complications.

“Unfortunately, 30 per cent of patients that have a mastectomy can experience a complication called a seroma. It’s a large collection of fluid in the wound site that needs to be drained regularly.

“I had unrealistic expectations. I thought I’d be back at work within a fortnight. I’m back at work full speed now, three months since the operation.  Until you’ve done it, you have no idea what to expect.

“It took a good four months after chemo to feel physically okay. I got full blown arthritis and was in chronic pain 24 hours a day.

“Chemo tends to trigger whatever your underlying, undiagnosed condition might be.

“Life became very basic, living on bedrest and soup.

“Getting out and about again became quite important. It was nice to get back to a bit of normal. I used to really make an effort on chemo days to look my best, because it certainly made a difference, even if I didn’t feel my best.”

The original appeal of Colleen’s boutique that drew Bin in on her lunch breaks, reinforced it as a haven.

“The way she has it decorated, it’s so girly! Sitting on the beautiful toile seats and absorbing the comfort, the knowledge, the experience in this store – that’s what makes it a safe space.

“There’s empowerment in knowledge, and empowerment in choice.

“As a young person, I was small busted, but as I got older and had children, I became quite large. I actually found my breasts quite the inconvenience,” she laughs.

“I did wear a prosthesis when I had only the single mastectomy; at the moment I’m wearing nothing and really liking the freedom of that.

“I’m very fortunate that I had the full support of my partner. He said, as long as you’re healthy and you’re here, that’s number one.

“I have friends who have been through an agonising amount of surgery to get reconstruction done. If people are willing to go down that track, I commend them. To have my mastectomy and go through chemo was more than enough for me.”

Today, Bin is shopping for a bra with small breast forms to wear with tight dresses.

“It is empowering. I feel like I made a decision for my body; I didn’t want any more surgery and this is an easy solution.”

She beamed. “I could be big or small, whatever I want depending on the day.”

You can find Colleen’s at 22 Garran Place, Garran.

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