The Extraordinary Gift of the Breast Cancer Butterfly Quilt

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Breast cancer bonds you to humankind in the most curious and unexpected ways. You may never have had these opportunities were it not for a diagnosis and Journey through breast cancer. My life has been extraordinarily blessed by these unintended connections. A connection may be in person or through social media channels where I have had conversations with those who themselves have been diagnosed. This is one of those connections and story of the extraordinary gift of the breast cancer butterfly quilt. DiepCFoundation.org is the nonprofit organization I opened in 2016 after my own successful DIEP flap breast reconstruction. I knew the need to educate and provide support was a dire need for those affected by breast cancer and loss of breast and why I began the Foundation. The mission of the Foundation continues. This year, the summer of 2021, we celebrate the beginning of our sixth year of serving Continue Reading →

Episode 11: Decorative and Restorative Tattoos for Breast Cancer Patients

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Eric Eye is our guest on Episode 11 discussing decorative and restorative tattoos for breast cancer patients on the DiepCJourney podcast. He is a trained visual artist who performs 3D nipple and areola tattoos for patients who have had mastectomy and breast reconstruction after breast cancer. His work can be found on his Instagram account as well as his Facebook page. He is located in Seattle, Washington but Eric has traveled to other locations to provide services for breast cancer patients. Bringing Art to Life in Decorative and Restorative Tattoos The story of how he transitioned from years of experience in tattooing to providing restorative tattoos for breast cancer patients is a touching one. What are restorative tattoos? Eric’s work includes beautiful and artistic drawings covering a mastectomy or breast reconstruction scar. This can be across the breast area or an abdominal scar from DIEP flap surgery. They are most Continue Reading →

Trusting your Body after Breast Cancer and Breast Reconstruction

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I hear it so often from those affected by breast cancer or breast reconstruction. They experience weakness, loss of muscle mass, sense of balance, and overall strength. I know this feeling. It’s frustrating, feels like a true sense of loss, and sometimes even feels a bit hopeless as if you will never return to the person you were prior to treatment and surgery. I want to share my own experiences, provide hope and why trusting your body after breast cancer and breast reconstruction can be an important part of physical and mental recovery. Loss of Strength after Breast Cancer A breast cancer diagnosis is shocking for most. It is both physically and mentally challenging depleting the body and mind. I remember the absolute fatigue I felt from hearing about the diagnosis, crying, telling my family,  and going to all the subsequent appointments following my first diagnosis. After I had two Continue Reading →

Episode 6: Living Flat after Breast Cancer

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Juliet Fitzpatrick is a breast cancer survivor and patient advocate from the U.K. who chose aesthetic flat closure  after breast cancer. She writes about her experience at Blooming Cancer, Living Flat and Recovery after Breast Cancer. In Episode 6: Living Flat after Breast Cancer, on the DiepCJourney podcast Juliet and I chat about her decision to remain flat. She asked a lot of questions and did her research after her breast cancer diagnosis before making this choice. We chat about prosthesis, support groups, blogging, and of course, our combined interest in gardening. These are all on the list of things Juliet is doing since her diagnosis and through her continued recovery, finding the simple passions in life that are important to her. The Breast Cancer Diagnosis Juliet was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast after having the second routine mammogram she ever had in her life. She was Continue Reading →

Recycling Thoughts of My Breast Cancer Diagnosis

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It is funny how the daily events of life can conjure up memories from when you were diagnosed with breast cancer. Oh, diagnosed with breast cancer twice in my case. Our community is holding a recycling event this weekend. While clearing out various files I came across some paperwork I saved from my first diagnosis is 2002, my second diagnosis in 2014, and also my DIEP flap breast reconstruction also in 2014. It was like recycling thoughts from my breast cancer diagnosis. The Diagnosis Process Does Not Change Much What was interesting to me was an email I printed from a best friend and survivor herself. She was diagnosed a couple of years before I was. To read more about our connection and understand the meaning behind out song, “I Hope You Dance” you can read this blog. She had great pearls of wisdom to share with me. I speak Continue Reading →

How Digital Health Can Enhance your Breast Reconstruction Decision

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Patients become unintended experts on a topic they likely had no intention of being an authority on. When you receive a diagnosis of breast cancer one of the biggest challenges is understanding the medical information you have to digest and make sense of for your own future health. How will these decisions affect your body, lifestyle, and long-term survival? If you are facing loss of breast due to a mastectomy, things can become a step more complex when digesting and understanding your options. Luckily, we live in an era where we have access to digital tools to assist with these decision processes. Digital health can improve your breast reconstruction decision. Defining Digital Health First let’s define what digital health is. It encompasses many platforms. Digital health can but is not limited to entities such as virtual consultations via your computer or phone and apps specific to a topic you need Continue Reading →

Episode 10: Male Breast Cancer

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Male breast cancer will be diagnosed in about 2,650 men this year according to Breast Cancer.org. A leading patient advocate for the Male Breast Cancer Coalition bringing awareness to male breast cancer is our guest on episode 10: Male Breast Cancer, of the DiepCJourney podcast. Michael Singer and his wife Patty share the poignant story of his sister’s death from metastatic breast cancer and how if formed his fierce work in patient advocacy. He has become a strong voice bringing awareness that breast cancer does not discriminate and touches the lives of men, too. The Breast Cancer Diagnosis In 2010, Michael felt a lump under his left nipple about the size of a tip of a pencil eraser. Patty advised him to tell his doctor at his routine annual physical exam. Did he? No. Patty asked Michael why he did not tell him. His answer, “Because I was embarrassed”. That Continue Reading →

DiepCJourney Private Facebook Group: A Safe Place to Land

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Social Media is a way for others to connect in communities to discuss like-minded topics. I began the private Facebook group, DiepCJourney: Breast Reconstruction after mastectomy, in May of 2015. The purpose of the group is to inform those who are facing or have had a mastectomy about all their breast reconstruction options and choices. This includes the surgical option for no reconstruction, aesthetic flat closure. We are a global community. We want DiepCJourney Facebook group to be your safe place to land. DiepCJourney Facebook Discusses all Options The chest wall is the scaffold of the surgeon. The decision to reconstruct after a mastectomy is supported  whether you choose implants, use your own tissue (autologous reconstruction), a combination of both, a lumpectomy, or no reconstruction, referred to as aesthetic flat closure. This requires decision making. On DiepCJourney and at the Founding organization, DiepCFoundation, we promote the idea of shared decision-making. Continue Reading →

Episode 12: Patient Advocacy and Health Disparities

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Roberta Albany is a formidable breast cancer patient advocate and spokesperson for health disparities. Her work with Living Beyond Breast Cancer and in her own community at Cancer in the Know has gained her great respect and why I am excited to interview this friend and colleague in the breast cancer space for Episode 12: Patient Advocacy and Health Disparities for the DiepCJourney Podcast.  The Making of a Patient Advocate Roberta did not set out to be a spokesperson and patient advocate for the breast cancer community. Her diagnosis defined her role and lead her to this work. She describes her experience with the diagnosis she received in October of 2013. Bobbi found a lump while training for a half marathon with her running group, Black Girls Run. She could not remember if she had done her monthly self-breast exam. She recalls her breast had been bothering her, especially the left side. Upon doing her Continue Reading →

Cancer Survivor’s Day: Thoughts from Personal Journeys

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Days on the calendar reminding us of what we love, embrace, are actively involved in, and remind us that these commemorative days fill us with emotions, good and bad. There are holidays that have been on the calendar throughout history. Social media has caused new and interesting ones celebrating food, fun, and other trivial items uniting those who join in. Cancer Survivor’s Day, from my research, began in 1988. What does it mean to those who have survived? I decided to listen to those in my community and share thoughts on Cancer Survivor’s Day and some thoughts from personal Journeys. DiepCJourney: Thoughts on Cancer Survivor’s Day I began the closed Facebook group, DiepCJourney: Breast Reconstruction after Mastectomy in May of 2015 after my successful DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Being a two-time breast cancer survivor impacts my life daily. I decided support, finding resources, providing education for others would be my Continue Reading →