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Morin had four surgeries to remove both breasts and her uterus, all in the span of 18 months, and she went into a deep depression after her operation.

“I thought I was the most disgusting thing you could ever see,” Morin says.

The “Looking Beyond Boutique Wellness Centre and Juice Bar” name was inspired by Morin’s book, The Courage to Look Beyond. The memoir details the 51-year-old’s battle with cancer and her journey to wellness in body and mind.

The Kanata studio has been open for two weeks, with a grand opening planned for the end of February. It’s been a quick process — Morin found the room on the top floor of The Spa Day Retreat in September. But when she saw it had a kitchen, she decided she could pair the mastectomy studio with her other passion — making healthy drinks.

Morin stands behind a long wooden table in the open concept kitchen. Above her, a list of fresh juices and smoothies. There’s Mint Foam, Green Juice or the Calm Chamomile Banana. Behind her, a food processor, its mouth a bright green from blended wheat grass, the magic ingredient Morin swears by. She says two ounces of wheat grass is equal to five pounds of vegetables and she drank six ounces a day in the three weeks leading up to her hysterectomy.

“I’m one-of-a-kind over here,” Morin says of her store. “You feel like you’re in someone’s kitchen, you feel comfortable.”

“Very cosy,” chimes in one of several customers, who sit and listen to Morin share her story.

In the corner sits a glass display case with different types of breast prostheses — one made of a synthetic plastic, another of fabric, with bean filling. And on top, creams for women undergoing radiation. The boutique has several rooms, one with a giant couch and another with clothing racks where specialty bras, bathing suits and undershirts hang.

Morin also wants to design a clothing line of bathing suits and lingerie that have a built-in cup, which she says is a gap in the market.

She said it’s important for women to speak about taboo subjects like body image and sex after cancer.

“These are topics we never, never talk about, we’re ashamed to talk about and it’s something that needs to be heard.”

Now she thinks differently about her body and femininity.

“It’s about feeling good in your own skin,” says Morin, her voice as strong as her words.

Morin says her studio is a place where women are meant to relax and feel comfortable. But it isn’t just for cancer survivors. Morin is planning a number of classes including a weekly healing circle, yoga, and juicing lessons. In the next two weeks she’ll bring in a guest speaker to discuss anxiety and depression, “I want to do it all,” Morin says with a laugh.

On Tuesday, World Cancer Day, Morin says she will focus on the positive.

“I try not to think of that dark side. For me it was very, very dark. What I do is, I thank for what I have now,” she says, the juice blender whirring in the background.

“How can I be upset with cancer, when cancer’s changed my life completely? This is what I’m meant to do.”