Connections through the Breast Reconstruction Community
I am always amazed at the connections I have made in the #BreastReconstruction community since beginning my education and outreach through social media. A woman I met at a Casting for Recovery weekend in October of 2015 was the patient of a well-respected micro-surgeon at Cancer Treatment Centers of American in Chicago, Dr. Daniel Liu. When I found this out during our fishing weekend and the long conversation we had together, I told my friend how often I Tweeted with Dr. Liu and leaned heavily on his knowledge and information about plastic surgery and breast reconstruction. We took a picture together that weekend and I Tweeted it to Dr. Liu letting him know Connie and I met and by coincidence found out we both knew him.
Here we are again, six months later and these two had a meeting just this week to discuss ongoing plans for Connie’s care. She was texting me on the way to her appointment with Dr. Liu after landing in Chicago. I quickly texted her back and requested that she get a photo with Dr. Liu and I would share it on Social Media with permission from both of them. Connie agreed and it wasn’t long after she had texted me that I received a direct message from Dr. Liu on Twitter giving me the thumbs up to share the photos of them.
A Tight Community
Why did I want to do this? We are a tight community, we breast reconstruction “peeps”. That is what I have discovered and so cherish as I have met patients and physicians since opening my blog and Facebook page. Patients speak so highly of their plastic surgeons but, Connie, Dr. Liu has given me glowing reports of you as a patient.
Human connections and community are what give us strength. The breast reconstruction community identifies with struggle, hope; healing, scientific advancements, commitment and a sense of belonging. We are unique individuals, patients, plastic surgeons and micro-surgeons with one goal in mind, to reconstruct lives after cancer or a BRCA gene mutation.
So to both of you, thank you for indulging my request and snapping this wonderful photo of friends and connections through the breast reconstruction community. Great smiles from you both!
