Kelly Morton is a single mom on a mission! Born and raised in Albany, Georgia, Kelly likes to think of herself as a sort of Jill of all trades. Her most important job is being a good mother to children Everett (age 9) and Annabelle (age 5) – which is what led her to her current work as a fitter.
“I’ve been doing therapeutic massage for about four years and realized that I love working with people to help them feel better. I actually began working here at New Foundations (which is associated with the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital) just about two years ago because I needed to have health insurance. I never could have imagined that this would lead to such a rewarding job,” enthuses Kelly, “Every day makes a difference in someone’s life. How many people can say that about their work?”
The New Foundations Boutique is located across the street from the hospital, which makes it very convenient for the women who are treated there. Kelly and her staff provide one-on-one post surgical consultation to help women overcome their anxieties and feel better about themselves. The boutique offers a variety of breast forms, post surgical products, bras, camisoles, and swimsuits. They also carry a wide selection of hats, scarves, and sleepwear, as well as a lending library of books and videos.
New Foundations also provides the services of what is called a nurse navigator. Regina Martel is the woman handling this responsibility and Kelly fully appreciates just how significant Regina’s contribution is to the team. “I call her my customer’s right hand lady. In addition to Regina I have another fitter, Barbara Gouff, and we have an amazing volunteer (who is also a breast cancer survivor) named Lou Sampson who goes way above and beyond the call of duty! It’s a joy to work with these wonderful and caring women!”
The women Kelly and her crew serve are as varied as the products they carry, and she fully understands just how much they teach her each and every day. “Before I became a fitter, I had never seen a mastectomy patient. I was a little bit worried initially that I might not know how to react. Well, those worries flew out the window! I see all sorts of women from all walks of life. I have women who are extremely modest and will hold their hands in front of their chests while we are doing the fitting – and then I have women who start taking off their top as they are walking through the door. I’ve learned that you can never prejudge what a woman will do – or what sort of bras she will want. Case in point – I had one woman in her 90s who bought mastectomy bras in green, pink, and blue! She said she might be old – but she wasn’t color blind!”
Kelly continues, “Hardly a day goes by that I’m not moved in some profound way by one of the women we fit. Every day is a memory. Sometimes when I get sort of caught up in the difficulties of being a single mom, I’ll have a customer who reminds me just how much I have to be grateful for. I had one elderly woman come in when I was not having a particularly good day. She had just lost someone close to her and she was crying. We went into the fitting room and all of the sudden she broke into the most beautiful hymn. She wasn’t the best singer in the world, but in that moment she was filled with grace. She didn’t care who heard her, she was just praising God for being alive. She came back in again this year, and I asked her if she would sing again – and she did!”
Another woman that Kelly remembers came into the shop in tears because she hadn’t had a prosthesis in over two years. She had actually been using rocks in her bra for weight. “Thank goodness her doctor finally told her about our services,” says Kelly, “I was able to do a fitting for her that made all of the difference in the world. She left the shop saying she felt absolutely normal again. I live in an area where there are many women not only struggling with breast cancer – but they are also struggling financially. They are always so grateful when they can get a percentage paid for by Medicare or Medicaid. We also have a great closet filled with donated items for those women who don’t have any insurance.”
“I love Amoena’s products because they have such a wide variety to choose from and they are so versatile. Unfortunately, we are seeing more young women all the time, so I’ve been trying to make sure the boutique carries products that women of any age will embrace. Amoena’s line has something for everyone!”
In addition to spending time with her kids, Kelly enjoys scrapbooking, reading (she leads a book club), and taking pictures. She also admits to being a bit of a computer junkie once the kids are in bed – and on those occasions when she is able to grab some “me” time, she loves to shoot a game of pool.
“I still marvel at the steps that brought me to where I am today. I know that I’m blessed, and I’ve found that my religion has really helped me along the way. I really enjoy reading spiritual books to better my walk with God!”