Fashionably speaking: Health limitations don't have to cramp style

By Linda Braden Albert
of The Daily Times Staff

A group of participants in Blount Memorial Hospital's Medical Fitness Program proved beyond a doubt that health limitations don't have to cramp your style, fashion-wise. The three women and three men, all of whom have health issues that can limit their mobility, strutted their stuff June 23 during a "Fashion Accessible" fashion show, parading down the runway in the Blount Memorial Hospital auditorium in outfits that were stylish, comfortable -- and easy to put on and take off. They were joined by two other models, both cancer survivors, modeling swimsuits from BeFitting You Mastectomy Boutique.

About 100 viewers, many of them fellow Medical Fitness clients, expressed their approval of both the models and their fashions with applause, words of encouragement and the occasional good-natured heckle.

It was difficult to tell who was enjoying themselves the most, the audience or the models.

"They did a good job," said Mary Hatcher, a member of the audience who is a participant in Medical Fitness, a medically supervised exercise program designed for heart and lung patients and also for those who prefer to exercise with supervision. She said she was in the market for a bathing suit and also a wig, several of which were modeled during the show.

Peggy Hinkle, Martha Cox, Rosemary Ballard, Ron Wood, Bernie Semmel and Richard Pressley represented Medical Fitness in the show. They were joined by Linda Crawford and Louella Barboza, modeling swimsuits from BeFitting You Mastectomy Boutique, which is located on the second floor of the hospital's Cancer Center. The boutique includes inventory for cancer patients as well as non-cancer patients.

Easy does it

Kathy Tallent, assistant director of Medical Fitness and a registered nurse, started the festivities by modeling a teal green exercise outfit. She and a committee of others put together Fashion Accessible as a way to show the community that arthritis, strokes, diabetes and other health conditions don't have to keep you from looking your best.

Hinkle, 67, is a stroke survivor.

"I have weakness on my left side," she said. The clothing she modeled -- a teal plaid shirt and pants with elastic waist and a black jacket with patterned skirt -- were easy for her to put on, she said. The jewelry, too, was easy, a large, fashionable necklace that simply fit over her head without her having to use hooks and fasteners. Hinkle also modeled two different wigs.

Cox, 77, has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). She wore a red capri outfit with belt as well as a paisley dress with green jacket. She agreed that the clothing was easy to get on and admitted, "We had a lot of help dressing. I didn't realize how fast we had to be."

Ballard, 80, has had open heart surgery and also has some arthritis. She modeled a red shirt and plaid capris, a patterned dress and a pink lace camisole. One of her accessories, a black purse featuring a large clock on the front, is a fashionable addition to the wardrobe of those who just can't read -- or fasten on -- a wristwatch anymore.

Ballard said she didn't like a lot of tight-fitting shirts across her surgical scar. The clothing she wore was also easier for her to put on and take off.

The men were well-represented, too. Wood, 58, who has several health issues including diabetes, heart disease and loss of feeling due to nerve damage, has had open heart surgery and four strokes. He thoroughly enjoyed his new "career" as a model, hamming it up on the runway in his red plaid shirt and tan pants, and later, a tan plaid button-front shirt with blue shorts. Semmel, 67, a diabetic who had a kidney transplant four years ago, was quite stylish in white pants and shirt with an admiral-look jacket and an orange-striped polo with khaki cargo shorts. Pressley, 64, who has had open heart surgery, two kidney transplants and has Guillain-Barre syndrome, a condition that attacks the peripheral nervous system, modeled a red polo with plaid shorts and khaki pants with a green plaid shirt.

Fun with fashion

Kathy Tallent was pleased with the event.

"It seemed to be well-received, and everybody had fun," she said, adding that the models were "a hoot" to work with. Semmel, when the group finished trying on the clothing at JCPenney, even asked a lady if she wanted his autograph because he was going to be famous. She declined, and he told her it would be free that day but after Monday's show, he would have to charge. He also requested a police escort to the airport because he was sure Jay Leno would want him to appear on The Tonight Show.

"They have all just shined," Tallent said.

Fashions were provided by JCPenney, Befitting You Mastectomy Boutique, Blount Memorial Hospital's gift shop and rehabilitation and Chadwick Podiatry.