usiness

Annette Newman opens a
box with a prosthesis.

Annette
Newman has
made it her
business
to make
women feel
good after
a mastectomy.

_11
Different
Boutique

KIMBERLY LIFTON
STAFF WRITER

elping women
always has
been impor-
tant to Ann-
ette Newman.
She had
worked for
years with
her husband,
Marty, a phar-
macist, as a
certified fitter
in his Ster-
ling Heights office.
There, she made certain
that the hand splints, leg

sively to fitting, lectur-
ing and teaching women
about safe alternatives
to reconstructive surgery
and silicone implants?
Other shops do fit-
tings, but Annette's, now
6 years old, is unique in
that it is a business
exclusively devoted to
victims of breast cancer.
She doesn't design the
items. All merchandise
comes from manufactur-
ers.
"It's a shame this has
braces and wrist devices
to
happen to women,"
her husband sold were
Ms. Newman said. "But I
suitable for each patient.
There, she also learned , am glad they are coming
to me so we can help. We
to fit women for prosthe-
give a lot of time. That is
ses after they had under-
such an important part
gone mastectomies.
to being successful."
Though she had never
Success in this busi-
suffered from breast can-
ness
doesn't always come
cer, which affects one in
in
the
form of cash. Ms.
every nine women, she'd
Newman
says her spe-
had some scares her-
cialty
is
not
the best way
self; she understood the
to
generate
a profit, but
fright.
she
says
she
makes ends
So why not, she thought,
meet,
and
she
adds the
devote a business exclu-

reward is knowing she
has helped someone in
need.
"Sometimes they come
here and just need a
hug," she said. "We do a
lot of bonding."
The prostheses come
in all forms, shapes and
sizes. Bra and lingerie
styles vary. Bathing suit
styles are plentiful. And
all look like normal
clothing items shown in
regular stores.
The store is located in
the Plumbrook Pharmacy
Building on Van Dyke in
Sterling Heights, which
also houses her hus-
band's pharmacy and
the medical office of
Dr. Leroy Newman, her
brother-in-law.
Her boutique is well
stocked. Women do not
need to come back to the
shop for a second time to
pick up a prosthesis, a
bra or a swim suit. "A lot

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