Lawton volunteers sew gowns for breast health center

Krystal Britz is a woman on a mission.

Her latest mission is to provide about 300 gowns to the McMahon Center for Breast Health and Women’s Imaging at Comanche County Memorial Hospital.

She intends to replace existing gowns, which she called ugly, with vibrant new gowns. In order to do that, she has organized a gown-sewing party this week. She and a group of volunteers are cutting out and sewing brightly colored material into new gowns of all sizes for ladies getting their mammograms.

“I can’t wait for them to put these on,” she said as she cut a gown out of colorful piece of material on Monday morning.

All the material and the space to do the work has been donated by the community. She said individuals donated the cloth (it had to colorful) and the McMahon Foundation also pitched in. Brenda Spencer-Ragland, owner of NextHome Tri-Covenant Realty, donated the space.

Some volunteers, such as Barbara Hulslander, cut out the patterns while others sew the gowns. The gowns tie in front, Britz said, so patients can cover up as they need to.

Britz hopes the gowns serve another purpose as well.

“If they find something on the mammogram, they do a biopsy right then,” she said. “Usually they are up there alone. These are to get their mind off what they are going through. This is going to help with their nerves.”

This is not the first cancer-related project Britz has been involved in. She is responsible for a new art exhibit at the McMahon Center for Breast Health and Women’s Imaging. The exhibit was inspired by her friend Jenny Sage, who lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of 37. While at the center, Britz noticed there was no art on the walls. Britz, who owns Britz Photography, asked permission to adorn the walls with some of her artwork. The 14 photographs show female patients of all ages, races and sizes, and although not everyone actually has been diagnosed with cancer, a lot of them are survivors.

Brtiz said she hopes to have the gown project completed in time for the gowns to be donated to breast center next week, in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.