Category: Breast Reconstruction

The Intersection of Research and Decision for Breast Reconstruction

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One day your life is humming along as usual. Work, children, family, friends, school, house cleaning, errands, vacation, cooking, on and on. Then out of nowhere you hear the news that feels like a gut punch. “You have breast cancer.” Perhaps you get genetic test results back and you find out you have a genetic mutation putting you at high risk of getting breast cancer. You are thrust into a new role finding out all you can about your diagnosis. Will I be facing a mastectomy or choose a mastectomy for my treatment? When will the intersection of research and decision for breast reconstruction occur? The Research Process Why am I writing about this? I agonized over this part of my breast cancer diagnosis when I was told my best choice for my long-term survival was a double mastectomy. It was my second diagnosis and now in both breasts vs. Continue Reading →

Virtual Attendance at World Urban Forum 2022

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This past week, beginning June 26 and running through June 30, 2022, world leaders of all ages and levels of leadership gathered in Katowice, Poland for #WUF11. It was thrilling to be in virtual attendance at the World Urban Forum 2022. What I learned, who I connected with, and what inspired me is summarized in this blog post. Why I Attended World Urban Forum Virtually Let me give you a bit of background on the purpose of the World Urban Forum. Here is the explanation than from the organization on their website. The WUF was established in 2001 by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid ubanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies. The first WUF was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002 and has been held around the world ever since. World Urban Forum At Continue Reading →

Function and Management of Breast Reconstruction Drains

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The DiepCJourney Facebook group has members from all over the world. The purpose of the group is to nurture an ongoing learning community with people affected by breast cancer and those who serve breast cancer patients. A request was made to make a video about surgical drains. It is not a favorite part of recover but certainly necessary. I sat down with Dr. Randall Feingold of NYBRA, New York Breast and Reconstruction and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery to discuss the function and management of breast reconstruction drains. Why Drains Are Placed at the Surgical Sites I start off the conversation by sharing my own experience with drains for my double mastectomy and DIEP flap. The general consensus from patients is that drains are not something that anyone likes. I feel when patients understand why they are being used, they become a bit more tolerable, especially knowing they are a short-term part Continue Reading →

Episode 5: A Young Breast Cancer Survivor Advocating for Survivorship

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Hil Moss is our guest on Season 2, Episode 5 of the DiepCJourney Podcast. A young breast cancer survivor (diagnosed at 28), Hil is an active patient advocate, mentor, and writer in the cancer community, and dedicates her time to raising awareness around the importance of early detection and longitudinal survivorship care. She is also an MBA/MPH Candidate at Yale University, with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation in cancer care. She made the choice to leverage her own tissue to reconstruct her breasts having DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Hill shares her story from diagnosis, breast reconstruction, and through to her recovery. She shares her connection to the Breasties community and the advocacy work they share. Our call to action in Episode 5 with Hil, a young breast cancer survivor, is to begin doing breast self-exams at an early age. A breast self-exam for breast awareness helps you understand changes Continue Reading →

A Celebration of 10K Breast Reconstruction Flaps

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On May 21, 2022, I will be back in San Antonio, Texas for a celebration of 10K breast reconstruction flaps. This event is put together by the plastic surgery group who did my DIEP flap surgery in December of 2014. This day holds great significance for me. I am grateful to PRMA for their fantastic efforts and support putting this 10K race together to celebrate the 10K flap surgeries they have performed for those affected by breast cancer. Thank you to the sponsors who are generously supporting this race. Honoring All the Patients Who Have Chosen Flap Surgery The 10K breast reconstruction flaps race is being held in San Antonio. The real honor goes to ladies across the world who have chosen or are planning flap surgery after being affected by breast cancer and losing their breasts to the disease. Over the years since I started my nonprofit organization, DiepCFoundation, Continue Reading →

Can We Drive Change in Breast Sensation Through Webinar Attendance?

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We have become accustomed to attending online webinars. One I have watched from inception is the iBreastBook webinars. It was designed by oncoplastic breast surgeon Yazan Masannat. He is located in Aberdeen, Scotland. I continually learn from these webinars and appreciate the global presence of presenters and attendees. Yazan is driving change in breast surgery by exploring the latest surgical techniques in breast surgery in these online learning opportunities. The most recent one I attended I ask myself; can we drive change in breast sensation through webinar attendance?” Why is Driving Change in Breast Sensation Important to Me? The title of the webinar I am commenting on is, Mastectomy: What is New. The presenters were an impressive group of international surgeons in breast surgery. They are as follows: I am a patient who has experienced successful return of sensation to my breasts after DIEP flap breast reconstruction. It is equally Continue Reading →

Tribal Unity Sends all the Right Messages in Breast Cancer

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You may be familiar with the long running American television series, “Survivor.” The premise of the show is that each team begins on different tribes. At the end, the real benefits and strength of the team are when the separate tribes join together creating one tribal union. Alliances form and tribes forge through adversity. This is when tribal unity sends all the right messages in breast cancer in my corner of the patient advocate world. This is familiar to me in the world of breast cancer, breast surgery, and breast reconstruction. As a patient advocate, I see a variety of platforms on social media helping communities affected by breast cancer. I watch these separate entities support specific biology types of breast cancer, gender specific breast cancer, ethnic specific breast cancer communities, wellness and survivorship, and the various choices made in the decision process for treatment and surgery. They run a Continue Reading →

Season 2, Episode 1: Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia

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It is with great honor I present Season 2, Episode 1: Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia of the DiepCJourney podcast. Connections made with patients and surgeons in the world of plastic surgery undoubtedly serve the purpose of improving patient outcomes. It is such a pleasure to be able to present this information and education on a global level from this fine Australian microsurgeon who has ignited breast reconstruction awareness in Australia. Dr. Joe Dusseldorp Ignites Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia The overriding mission through these global connections is “upping our game”. My guest, Dr. Joe Dusseldorp has certainly exhibited this. Not only is he an internationally trained microsurgeon, but he is a TEDx Talks presenter on personalizing medicine and how technology is making the incurable curable. I’m passionate about solving some of the difficult problems in plastic surgery, and applying the best that emerging technology can offer to constantly advance Continue Reading →

Episode 19: Delayed and Revision Breast Reconstruction

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Dr. David Light, MD, of NYBRA Plastic Surgery, is a board certified, fellowship trained plastic surgeon with a dual practice focused on breast reconstruction and aesthetic surgery. Our topic on Episode 19: delayed and revision breast reconstruction. Here is the summary of our conversation on the DiepCJourney podcast. Telemedicine for Delayed and Revision Breast Reconstruction Dr. Light performs over three hundred primary and revision breast surgeries per year. Besides DIEPflap, he also performs other microsurgical specialty flaps for breast reconstruction including the SIEA, PAP, LTP, and GAP flap. His practice also includes implant-based breast reconstruction. Microsurgery is a unique subspecialty of plastic surgery requiring further training. It involves anastomosis or tying together of blood vessels among other skills. For this reason, access  to microsurgeons is limited across the U. S. Many patients must travel to have autologous breast reconstruction, reconstruction using your own tissue with a blood source. Microsurgeons have Continue Reading →

Episode 9: Optimal Flat Closure in Breast Surgery

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It is important for patients considering any kind of breast reconstruction to be informed and educated  about all your options. My guest on the DiepCJourney podcast are two microsurgeons from Midwest Breast and Aesthetic Surgery in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Pankaj Tiwari and Dr. Ergun Kocak worked and trained together at Ohio State. “All things in Columbus come back to THE Ohio State University” as Dr. Tiwari states. They are two ideal surgeons to discuss the topic on episode 9, optimal flat closure. The Change in Breast Surgery Terms I stated in the podcast during my surgical consultation in 2002, correction, I meant to say 2014, I was not given the options for optimal flat closure. There is a reason I was not. The procedure, closure after mastectomy, has been around for an exceptionally long time. The change that has taken place recently is in the terminology used with emphasis on Continue Reading →