Hello, my name is Louise and my ordinary life has been interrupted by breast cancer. I was diagnosed in June 2012 at the age of 41 and as with most women I meet like me, my life has changed immeasurably. While most women survive breast cancer and appear to get back to their lives, many of us carry, not just the physical scars, but the emotional scars of the paths we travelled during this time.
Women who have experienced breast cancer and breast surgery will understand that when all the activities around treating cancer and all the surgeries are finished, when our friends, family and work colleagues see us outwardly healthy and well, we might be living our own private struggle. A bit like we have fallen out of love with our bodies. What many people misunderstand is that when we seek to restore our breasts we are doing this for ourselves, for our personal mental health. To undergo elective surgery like breast reconstruction after mastectomy or partial mastectomy or fat grafting after lumpectomy we are aiming for the day when we can feel restored physically, and when we can go for a whole day and not think about breast cancer. |
A diagnosis of cancer throws you into a chaotic world of tests, treatment and surgeries. It is easy to get swept up in the frenzy and for most women a huge part of this time is taken up with reading and listening to every available piece of information and advice to help to understand what the future holds.
When mastectomy became a part of my treatment plan I was fortunate to have 6 months of treatment time to become accustomed to the idea and to research what my options were for breast reconstruction. I could not conceive of a life without my breasts. I struggled to find information and support for the Australian experience, and for me one of the key factors about which type of reconstruction to choose was to see and feel reconstructed breasts in the context of an actual person. I recall that the common thing that each plastic surgeon I met said "you need to be realistic about the outcomes". But I felt powerless to find out what 'realistic' meant. This led me to create my first private online community for women like me who were seeking to connect, chat and view images. Hosted by Breast Cancer Network Australia I created the private 'Breast Reconstruction Online Group' in August 2013 and it has grown steadily since then and continues to grow at a rapid rate. Because of this I knew for certain I was not alone. In 2015 I launched Reclaim Your Curves closed Facebook group for the same purpose. At Reclaim Your Curves we have plans to reach women across Australia in a variety of ways in addition to these online spaces. Much of the content of this resource is a collaboration of information, tips, tricks and wisdom from the women in these online groups. I have made some wonderful friendships since 2013 and I owe so much to the generous women I have come to know through these online spaces. We have laughed and cried, we have supported each other through the lows and celebrated the highs, they have helped me to reclaim my curves. |
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If you are a women planning or undergoing breast reconstruction surgery, I hope you find the support and information you need here.
If you are a health professional and think your patient may benefit from the resources and the collective wisdom and personal embrace of other women who have travelled this path, please get involved in our Postcard Invitation Program.
If you are a health professional and think your patient may benefit from the resources and the collective wisdom and personal embrace of other women who have travelled this path, please get involved in our Postcard Invitation Program.