By Anne Levin

Thirteen years ago, Princeton psychologist Toby Israel was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. That meant a six-week course of radiation, five days a week, at Capital Health Medical Center.

Israel knew she had to make the experience as positive as possible. “I thought about wearing those blah, hospital gowns, and I remembered I had a silky Chinese robe in the back of my closet,” she said. “I wore it to each radiation session. It turned out to be not only a positive distraction for other patients, and an ice-breaker. It was good for me. It was a way for me to imagine myself as a queen, kind of staring down cancer.”

Whether the robe was a factor in keeping her healthy, Israel can’t say for sure. “I do know that I didn’t get the traditional radiation burn that most people get,” she said. “And having had this experience, I began to think about other women.”

Trained as an environmental psychologist and the founder of a profession she calls design psychology, Israel was aware that health care environments throughout the country have been upgraded to help promote healing. “So there are these beautiful places where people go for treatment. But if women are walking around them in those drab robes, they will feel less empowered,” she said. “I got this idea to make robes that were special.”

Israel tracked down a fabric designer and found a material she loved. She used the pattern of the robe she wore for her radiation treatments, and created elegant robes for women to take to the hospital, in custom pouches, for each treatment. The Asian-inspired kimonos are in a design inspired by nature, in earth tones.

Out of that idea came a sewing circle called Robe to Wellness, during which participants sew labels with messages of hope into the robes. Supportive messages are submitted by the public at the website robetowellness.com, to offer emotional support through radiation and recovery. The group meets weekly at Israel’s home. All are welcome — patients, survivors, friends, families, and volunteers.

“It’s not a support group where you talk about your cancer,” said israel. “I, for one, was overwhelmed with my own story without hearing everybody else’s. This is an informal gathering where people talk about anything. If they naturally get into talking about treatment or doctors, that’s great. But the pressure is off.”

She wanted the idea to be “a live project,” Israel said. “I wanted it to be a way women can emotionally support one another as a group. So it’s not just this product of the robe. It’s a process. Anyone can send a message of cheer, which is turned into labels, like camp labels. Then the women gather to sew them in.”

Capital Health Medical Center and a hospital in Westchester, New York, are among the institutions that use the robes. “Capital Health believes in the gowns. I’ve met many of their patients who talk about what a difference it makes,” said Israel.

The robes can be purchased for anyone dealing with a health crisis, of any kind. Members of Princeton Breast Cancer Resource Center get a 20 percent discount.

“We sit around, sew the labels in, and support one another while we sew,” said Israel. “Then we have a healthy dessert.”

The current session of Robe to Wellness meetings began September 11, and are held on Wednesdays from 1-2:30 p.m. To attend, visit info@robetowellness.com.