Meet the BodyMed Team
Barb Daize, RPN Owner & Operator BodyMed Boutique
Bio
Working in the medical field has always been Barb’s passion, and why she became a Nurse (RPN) 40 years ago. Barb worked in various settings including hospitals, doctor’s offices, hospice, and nursing homes. For 8 years she worked as the Supportive Care Coordinator for a local Breast Cancer agency. It was during that period, and after the death of two very close friends from Breast Cancer, that she witnessed how difficult it was for people to get the support, information, resources, and specialty products they needed to get through this devastating time in their lives. These experiences changed her perspective on life. It was soon after that her own mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and she decided it was time for a career change.
Barb trained to become a Certified Vascular Compression Fitter, and a Certified Mastectomy Bra Fitter. Her dream was to create a safe, comfortable, inviting place for women to find the products that would suit their specific needs as they experience this disease, and the devastating effects of their treatments. As Barb says it is difficult enough to face a serious health issue, let alone try to seek out things you will need to help you get through it.
As a result – in early 2011 BodyMed Boutique was born – a “One Stop Shop” if you will, that offers SUPPORT FROM HEAD TO TOE!
BodyMed is a full-service Mastectomy and Compression Boutique that provides people with various specialized bras, surgical garments, cancer treatment aids and compression hosiery. Women come from all over the GTA to see Barb and her caring staff.
Shortly after opening the retail store, Barb with the help of her staff and volunteers established THE CAMISOLE PROJECT, a non-profit initiative to provide women facing Breast Cancer Surgery a FREE Because.We.Care package that includes a post-surgical camisole with drain pockets, a comfort heart pillow and various other essential items to help make their hospital stay and recovery a little easier. This initiative has grown over the last 10 years and Barb and her volunteers are giving away between of 25 and 35 bags per month.
Giving people grace, hope, strength, and love, is why she loves what she does every day.
Anne
Bio
Certified Vascular Compression & Mastectomy Fitter
Anne was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1996 and underwent a partial mastectomy followed by 6 weeks of radiation therapy. When she met Barb in 2010 and witnessed her passion for the cause – Anne realized that she could also help women by sharing her experience, having walked in their shoes. Anne became a Certified Mastectomy/Compression Fitter and joined Barb at BodyMed Boutique.
Fast forward to 2016 Anne had to have a mastectomy followed by oral hormone therapy. Not missing a beat Anne was back at work in 3 weeks doing what she does best, helping her clients! Anne is resilient, stoic and an incredibly compassionate, understanding, and respectful person. As Anne puts it, I love doing what I do and cant imagine life without this wee place.
Lina
Bio
Certified Fitter
Lina has been a part of the BodyMed Team since 2017, over 6 years now. She is one of the familiar faces who kindly greets anyone walking through our doors.
Lina says being a part of the team here at BodyMed brings her such inspiration, hope and happiness.
Always a smile on her face Lina is there to help our clients with specialized fittings, a listening ear and of course a hug when needed. These acts of kindness go a long way to comfort people who are experiencing a devastating time in their lives.
Lina has 2 wonderful children Adrienne and Dean who as Lina says are her greatest accomplishments in life. Over the last few years, she has had 2 new additions to her family .
One is Jess her lovely daughter in law and the other who is the light of her life Theodore, her first grandchild. Theodore is a handsome, energetic 22-month-old and keeps Granny busy whenever she sees him.
Linas’s passion for assisting her clients is second to none!
Karen
Bio
Karen and her husband have called Burlington home since 1981, where they raised their two sons. A breast cancer diagnosis in 2013 resulted in a partial mastectomy, followed by chemo, radiation and a further year of biologic infusions. BodyMed was her “go to” shop for products required for this life changing event as well as emotional care. After retiring from a financial career of close to 44 years, Barb welcomed Karen to the team in 2021as Bodymed’s book keeper. When an opportunity opened to provide assistance in store Karen readily joined the “face” of the BodyMed team.
Brenda
Bio
Brenda moved back to Hamilton in 1999 after her husband retired from the military. In 2004 Brenda found a large lump which turned out to be cancerous. She then underwent a mastectomy, followed by chemo at the Juravinski Cancer Centre. After her diagnosis and treatment were finished, she decided to join a Breast Cancer Dragonboat team. Not being an athletic person, Brenda wasn’t sure it would be a good choice, but she had the best experience with the team and met so many great women whom she stays connected. Dragonboating is hard physical work, but she said it was worth every ache and pain that went with it. Each and every one of these women had a different story. Brenda and the team wanted to spread the word that there is life after a diagnosis and for the few that didn’t survive, they remembered them fondly.
Brenda met Barb and Anne at an Amoena mastectomy fitting clinic many years ago, they were there to obtain their fitting license. Luck would have it that Brenda was their model.
When Barb opened up BodyMed Boutique, Brenda became a customer, and after she retired, she saw on Facebook that Barb was looking to hire more staff. She jumped at the opportunity to apply. She was hired shortly thereafter. Brenda was an accounting clerk by trade and had not worked in retail so another new road for her to discover. She told us she had always loved the store, and that Barb and all the staff were warm and supportive and that she always wanted to stay longer and visit with them.
Brenda is looking forward to learning from Barb, Anne, Lina, and Karen and will bring her experiences to the store to help others going through this disease..