Category: News

Fairness in Reporting, Breast Reconstruction

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Fairness in Reporting, Breast Reconstruction An on-line article was published on October 31, 2016, in The New York Times entitled, ‘Going Flat’ After Breast Cancer.  This is my commentary on that article after having survived breast cancer twice and choosing to reconstruct my breasts with my own tissue.  I want you to focus on the words “reconstruct my breasts”.  They are my breasts.  Every part of my breasts are me, my own tissue, my own blood source, my own skin, my own nipples.  My own breasts contained cancer cells and have been removed through the skillful hands of a breast surgeon and rebuilt by the skillful hands of a microsurgeon. The breasts I had before breast cancer were mine.  The breasts  I now have after breast cancer are mine.  Once my breasts had cancer.  Now, my breasts do not have cancer.  Therefore, I respectfully disagree with the last part of Continue Reading →

Pink & Blue Colors of Hereditary Cancer

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Pink & Blue Colors of Hereditary Cancer I am not a BRCA gene carrier but tonight I will be hosting the premier of the movie, Pink & Blue Colors of Hereditary Cancer, in my city.  What is my interest then, you might ask? My Journey Through Genetic Testing I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time in 2014.  I had a double mastectomy because the cancer was in both breasts this time.  I knew a double mastectomy was the best course of action for me after asking, educating myself, researching, and having that all important, shared decision making discussion with my health care team.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer at an early age the first time. This was my second occurrence.  Those two criteria alone were enough evidence for my breast surgeon and oncologist to recommend that I have genetic testing.  From the National Cancer Institute: Several Continue Reading →

Being an Affiliate for Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day

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Being an affiliate for Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day Many physicians, individuals, and organizations across the United States and the world choose to be affiliates for Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day.  Why?  A breast cancer diagnosis can be devastating, overwhelming and life altering both emotionally and physically.  We know that one in eight women will be diagnosed with some type of breast cancer in 2016 and well over 2,000 men.  Unfortunately, less than 23% of patients know what their options are for breast reconstruction after mastectomy.  That is the answer to why so many have chosen to become affiliates for Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day. “Closing the Loop” on Breast Cancer The message of the campaign is to “close the loop” on breast cancer.  Many women and men face surgery to remove the cancer and this surgery often leads to loss of one or both breasts, and thereby disfigurement.  “Closing the loop” means Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day

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Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day BreastReconstruction Awareness Day has gone global and that’s great news for breast cancer patients!  The focus of these events is to educate and raise awareness about options for breast reconstruction after mastectomy.  Many of these events are held in the month of October in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  The choice to have breast reconstruction is a very personal one.  It involves a great deal of planning and requires a lot of information to make the best possible decision for each individual patient, both female and male.  It is not for everyone but the key take away and message of the Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day campaign is that everyone has the right to be given the information and to be educated about this topic. Breast Reconstruction after mastectomy is rarely a one-step surgical procedure.  Most reconstruction options require more than one stage.  What are those Continue Reading →

#BreastCancerRealityCheck

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#BreastCancerRealityCheck The hash tag #BreastCancerRealityCheck was ushered in on October 1, 2016.  The purpose was to bring awareness to the true reality of breast cancer.  Social media participants were given the opportunity to speak through this hash tag and tweet about how breast cancer has affected them personally, professionally and otherwise.  Here’s what @curmdgeo (AKA Cancer Curmudgeon… love the name!) says about the hash tag. On October 1st, include #BreastCancerRealityCheck every time you tweet your truth. It can be a personal story, a picture, facts that people need but do not get from the sugarcoated coverage of this devastating disease. #BreastCancerRealityCheck Not Over! Ever! October 1st has come and gone.  October has not.  #BreastCancerRealityCheck should be revisited more than once a year, in my humble opinion.  Why?  Because this year alone an estimated 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., Continue Reading →

A Tearful Golden Moment at #PSTM16

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A Tearful Golden Moment at #PSTM16 I unexpectedly had a tearful golden moment at #PSTM16 the last evening I was there.  #PSTM16 was the first conference I have attended since opening a non-profit 501c3 Foundation to support and empower patients with education about options in breast reconstruction.  I will have many more blogs to write about my experience at the conference but this was truly a golden moment for me in more ways than one. An Evening of Celebrating Twitter Connections and Friendships It was at one of many special events that occurred at the conference.  This particular event was arranged by Dr. Karen Horton, one of the many talented plastic surgeons I engage with on Twitter and other social media venues to push out valuable information to patients interested in breast reconstruction.  The event was sponsored by Allegan and it was an absolutely lovely evening.  Allergan made it memorable Continue Reading →

Goals: #Plasticsurgery #BreastReconstruction, #PSTM16

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Goals: #PlasticSurgery, #BreastReconstruction, #PSTM16 are what I’ve been rolling over in my mind for the past few days.  Tomorrow, September 23, 2016, bright and early as the sun rises I will board a plane to Los Angeles to the largest plastic surgery convention of the year, Plastic Surgery the Meeting 2016, #PSTM16. My goals for the meeting Attend educational events focused on the breast reconstruction aspect of plastic surgery. Explore and understand the latest practices and developments in breast reconstruction. Engage with vendors to learn about their products. Ask these vendors why their product is so important in the breast reconstruction process. Catch up on any new legislative news pertaining to #BreastReconstruction. Learn as much as I can about tips in networking and Social Media for #BreastReconstruction and #plasticsurgery. Report back to patients in blogs about what I have learned at the meeting. Meet more board certified ASPS surgeons who Continue Reading →

My #REASONS2STANDUP

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What are my #REASONS2STANDUP?  Tonight is the #StandUp2Cancer telecast.  According to a live interview today on Facebook with Katie Couric, this is an effort of collaboration among scientist and not one of competition.  She was seen with a colon cancer patient and Dr. William Nelson, Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.  This is a night to support and honor all those facing cancer. I was actually told about this movement from my oldest son soon after my second cancer diagnosis in May of 2014.  I have to say I was a bit misty-eyed when I received a text from him asking me if I was following the group on Facebook. This is my #REASON2STANDUP!  Two years ago, we were in doubt if I would ever see his then unborn son, my grandson.  Two years ago, I watched my youngest son describe my 2nd diagnosis as Continue Reading →

Amy Black ~ Tattoo Artist

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Amy Black ~ Tattoo Artist Amy Black is a talented and compassionate tattoo artist.  Her work with breast cancer and BRCA patients is nothing short of inspiring.  She owns Amy Black Tattoo.  From her website: In 2011, Amy began working in another field of tattooing known as “nipple and areola repigmentation” or “mastectomy tattooing” as a part of breast reconstruction for patients post mastectomy due to breast cancer or BRCA diagnosis. When Art Transcends Emotion There are times when art truly transcends emotion in a very positive and powerful way.  This message could not have been more apparent to me than after my conversation with her on Anti-Cancer Club.  Along with hosts Stephie and Pat we sat mesmerized by this woman’s commitment to post-mastectomy patients.  Amy is an individual who exudes the statement, “The universe is larger than I am.”  Listening to her message, hearing about her work transforming the Continue Reading →

Inspirational Connections through Breast Cancer

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Inspirational Connections through Breast Cancer A true blessing and bonus of educational outreach is inspirational connections through the breast cancer community.  I recently received an email from Cinde and she humbly asked to write a guest blog about how she came to develop her drain carrier after surviving breast cancer three times.  Like me, Cinde has undergone DIEP flap breast reconstruction .  Naturally, I was curious to hear her story and after reading it I am honored to share this guest blog.  Cinde is not only providing a product for breast cancer patients but her outreach became global and continues to positively impact women in Karunga, Tanzania. Thank you for sharing this guest blog to the breast cancer community, Cinde. Post-Op Drain Management and the Mamas of Kilimanjaro   I’m a four-time cancer survivor, three-time breast cancer survivor.   After being diagnosed with cancer so many times — and surviving Continue Reading →