HELENA — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services estimates that in Montana, over 930 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
The owner of The Pink Tent aims to support some of those women diagnosed with the disease by selling products to help them during and after treatment.
"My favorite part is the relationships and getting to know women. Hearing their stories and having the privilege of entering that sacred space as they're going through this health crisis," said Beth Blythe, founder and owner of The Pink Tent.
The Pink Tent has a brick-and-mortar location in Bozeman, but it travels to different cities when appointments are requested.
The business is a Durable Medical Equipment Place of Service that provides customized garments for patients diagnosed with breast cancer or lymphedema.
Products include mastectomy bras, lymphedema sleeves, compressive wear, and breast prosthetics.
About the prosthetics, Blythe said, "They come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. We can also custom scan a woman's chest wall to fit exactly into her scars."
Blythe spent over 200 hours of training to become a mastectomy fitter after having her own experience with breast cancer.
"I was living in a rural Montana town at the time, and I couldn't find any clothes to wear after my surgery," she said.
The Pink Tent's name is loosely based on Anita Diamant's fictional book The Red Tent.
Pink is a nod to breast cancer; the tent represents how mobile the business is and how it can move where clients need it.
Blythe said, "The red tent in ancient times was a place where women would gather during their monthly cycles or for childbirth, and it's a place where women would get support and encouragement from other women."
A big part of Blythe's job is working with insurance companies to get her products covered for patients.
According to the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, insurance should cover "prostheses and treatment of physical complications of all stages of the mastectomy, including lymphedema" if a person is covered by a group health plan or individual health insurance policy.
"Meeting a woman who did not know that information and then getting her in a good bra, a good breast form, getting her dressed again, and she looks restored, that's pretty special," said Blythe.
You can find more information about The Pink Tent here.
