Photo by Michelle Leman
Cancer is a dreaded disease that claimed the lives of nearly 10 million individuals in 2020. The most common types of cancers are lung, breast, colon, prostate, and rectum.
With these figures, it can be challenging for cancer patients to stay positive and confident. And when they're in the hospital wearing a simple gown, they can feel uncomfortable or unkempt.
So aside from the support their loved ones provide, cancer patients also need clothing that can help them lift their mood and confidence in the hospital.
Cancer isn't only one kind of illness; it has several types, including rare ones like mesothelioma, which can occur in any part of your body.
The Mesothelioma Group provides a rich resource of information about the stages of mesothelioma, diagnosis, and treatment options.
What clothes are functional yet stylish for cancer patients to wear? Why is it good to wear trendy and fashionable outfits despite being in the hospital?
This article explores the clothes that cancer patients can wear and the functionality of these outfits. It also explains the reason why cancer patients should consider wearing such stylish clothes.
4 Trendy and Functional Outfits for Cancer Patients
Hospital gowns are practical pieces of clothing that give hospital staff access to the patient's body. But in many cases, these gowns can look plain and unappealing.
For cancer patients, this look can cause them to have difficulty staying positive, which they need while undergoing treatment.
Fortunately, new clothing choices are starting to pop up that can help these patients with their clothing dilemmas. These outfits combine fashion with the functionality of hospital gowns.
Back-Opening Dresses
Most hospital gowns have open backs. This feature helps doctors and nurses quickly access the patient's body for examination or treatment.
With back-opening dresses, patients can still wear fashionable clothes while giving the same features that hospital gowns provide.
You often see women wearing backless clothing like halter tops in public. Combining this fashion sense with the functionality of hospital gowns allows cancer patients to be stylish even inside the hospital.
Nightdresses With Abdominal Access
Clothes that open at the front lets hospital staff perform exams that require abdominal access, like gastrointestinal exams.
But with most hospital gowns opening only at the back, the patient undergoing abdominal examination will have to undress, something that many of them still have reservations about doing.
Having clothes open at the front using buttons or zippers allow cancer patients to stay fashionable without needing to undress for abdominal exams. This way, doctors and nurses can perform such procedures discreetly.
Major brands like Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, and Target provide inclusive clothing lines featuring hidden openings in the garments to help facilitate abdominal access.
Jerseys With Chest and Top Arm Access
One advantage of maternity clothes is that they allow mothers to breastfeed their babies while remaining fashionable. If these outfits work for mothers, the same can potentially work for cancer patients.
Wearing clothes with chest and top arm access allows hospital staff to perform procedures like breast exams without removing the patient's clothes.
One clothing brand sells fashionable hospital gown alternatives like jerseys that you can button at the chest and top arm. To access the chest and upper arm, you only need to unbutton these areas on the jersey.
Trousers With Groin Access
Some hospital examinations require accessing the cancer patient's groin area, especially those with colon and prostate cancer.
Some patients may not feel comfortable performing these exams wearing a hospital gown. Fortunately, one option is to wear trousers that open wide at the groin area.
With these pants, cancer patients no longer need to walk around in their hospital gowns only. They can wear these trousers under the gown.
When the patient's exam comes up, they can unbutton the top and sides of the pants without needing to expose the rest of their lower body.
Why Should Cancer Patients Consider Fashionable Hospital Wear?
Scientists have often overlooked the issue of hospital clothing on patients' well-being, despite knowing that clothing can impact an individual's self-expression and social identity.
Hospital gowns keep patients sufficiently covered while ensuring that their body is accessible to hospital staff.
But the current style of backless hospital gowns dates back to 1910 to make it easier for patients to use bedpans. In other words, hospital gowns aren't designed to cater to today's medical necessities.
Furthermore, cancer patients can feel exposed, uncomfortable, self-conscious, embarrassed, and disempowered.
Wearing clothes and accessories that provide comfort, functionality, and style can make a difference in the person's dignity and emotional well-being.
Thus, incorporating fashion into the hospital gown design and other clothing alternatives can help patients feel better about themselves. So being well-dressed can help boost a cancer patient's psychological wellness, especially during treatment.
Do you want to advocate for patient-inspired clothing or help with cancer research? Contact or donate to the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
References
- Cancer
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer
- Adaptive Clothing Helps Children With Special Needs Get Ready for School
https://www.jcfs.org/blog/adaptive-clothing-helps-children-special-needs-get-ready-school
- Why Wearing Comfortable Clothes During Cancer Treatment Matters
https://www.cancer.net/blog/2021-10/why-wearing-comfortable-clothes-during-cancer-treatment-matters