DiepCJourney Podcast

This episode of the DiepCJourney podcast is well-timed to publish on March 1, 2024, the first day of lymphedema awareness month. We hope you will share this in your community for breast cancer patients affected by lymphedema to provide them with the resources needed to treat this condition and let them know there are specialists in surgical treatment options as well.

My guest is one such specialist. Dr. Charles Anton Fries is Chief of Plastic Surgery and faculty surgeon at UT Health San Antonio and works as a microsurgeon with the team at PRMA, Plastic Reconstructive Microsurgical Associates, in San Antonio.

It is important for listeners to understand the function and importance of the lymphatic system. Dr. Fries begins by explaining this and what can happen during breast surgery of any kind. He describes how the pumping mechanism that is the lymphatic system is compromised with patients who present with lymphedema.

Anything that damages or interrupts the lymph circulation can cause lymphedema as in axillary dissection and breast cancer surgery. Radiation adversely affects the muscle of the lymphatic system and can also cause lymphedema.

Dr. Fries tells us some of the symptoms at the beginning are heaviness and swelling from the accumulation of fluid. This is the time to start intervening with treatments to prevent progression. Lymphedema is incurable and progressive. He shares with us that compression, massage, and pumps are affective in managing the progression of lymphedema and the burden of fluid that can accumulate.

He points out the importance of patients taking a holistic approach to the management of lymphedema including maintaining a healthy weight. One such study shows there is a real correlation between obesity and severity of lymphedema.

We continue our discussion with surgical options both in the office and in the surgical theater. Dr. Fries and I touch on issues with insurance coverage, and he proudly shares that one of his own patients was an advocate working for insurance coverage for the treatment of lymphedema.

Links we discussed in the podcast:

PRMA lymphedema measurement chart: https://prma-enhance.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lymphedema-Chart.pdf

YouTube video of the Podcast with Dr. Fries: https://youtu.be/PlY5lb14ovY?si=Jyr7v-p2RhYuDpSD

Dr. Fries Social Media Accounts:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonfriesplasticsurgery/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntonFriesMD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anton-fries-md-phd-a4167318/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/AntonFries

This episode of the DiepCJourney podcast shares a fascinating story of a young woman who graciously and professionally takes us through her Journey from being diagnosed with breast cancer, cold capping, the affect on her family and young daughters, and to the story of her DIEP flap breast reconstruction.

She never felt a lump. She was enrolled in a high-risk program based on her family history. Because of this, she found the cancer early.

My guest is Lacey Terpstra-Reid. She is a registered nurse residing in Guthrie Oklahoma. In November 2022 she was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer at age 33. Lacey has over 10 years of bedside experience as a nurse from working in a cardiac ICU where she cared for countless ECMO patients to her current role as an outpatient surgery recovery RN. She is a young mom to 3- and 2-year-old girls. She has spent this past year navigating her cancer treatments while chasing toddlers.

Lacey was familiar with the science behind the T-Stat flap monitoring system. In her work as an ECMO nurse she understands the parralels and how the oxygenation and blood flow that the T-Stat monitor used to monitor her flaps. 

Links to other topics we discuss in the podcast:

ERAS Protocol in Breast Reconstruction with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo

DiepCJourney Facebook Support Group

Dr. Nabil Habash

How to Prepare for and Have a Shared Decision-Making Conversation

With any type of surgery there are risks and possible complications. We are tackling a topic on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast that is frequently discussed in the community served at DiepCFoundation. I reached out to an expert in the field for our discussion on fat grafting in breast reconstruction.

Dr. Emily A. Williamson founded Plastic Surgery Northwest in Spokane Washington in 2010 after completing her surgical training at the prestigious University of Washington Plastic Surgery Residency. She works with a group of five other surgeons performing various aesthetic and plastic surgery procedures including autologous breast reconstruction like DIEP flap.

Preoperative patient education and counseling is imperative to minimize fears about fat grafting. Dr. Williams discusses how a skilled surgeon minimizes the occurrence of fat necrosis for both implant-based and autologous breast reconstruction. She describes how fat is utilized to achieve symmetry but also signs and symptoms of fat necrosis and what can be done for patients who develop this after a fat grafting procedure.

Recent study from France: Oncological Safety of Autologous Fat Grafting in Breast Reconstruction after Mastectomy for Cancer: A Case-control Study

Article from the Cleveland Clinic: Autologous Fat Grafting For Breast Reconstruction: Safe but Worrisome to Patients

Social Media Links for Dr. Emily A. Williamson:

Facebook: Plastic Surgery Northwest

Instagram: emilywilliamsmd

There is hard science to support the benefits of exercise for those who are affected by cancer of any kind. We will discuss this on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast. The good news is that now the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) introduced new standards in January of 2024 for exercise oncology. Supporting this initiative is Maple Tree Cancer Alliance.

Nationally there are around sixty-five hospitals and locations Maple Tree Cancer Alliance is partnering with to help patients and the medical community implement these changes to improve the lives of those affected by cancer.

I am speaking to the Founder and CEO of Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, Karen Wonders, PhD, and their Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jay K. Harness. They discuss the origins of Maple Tree and how it has grown internationally to provide free exercise training to thousands of cancer survivors. Their program is based on science and evidence with more than seventy peer reviewed manuscripts on the topic of exercise and cancer recovery.

Leading organizations across the world are supporting these efforts. We discuss the following organizations in our conversation:

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

American Cancer Society

American Society of Breast Surgeons

Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA)

American College of Sports Medicine

You can reach out to Dr. Wonders an Dr. Harness on LinkedIn here:

Karen Wonders

Dr. Jay Harness

Maple Tree Cancer Alliance

Millions of women across the globe have undergone breast augmentation using a medical device called a breast implant. This is done for reasons such as cosmesis, sometimes called enhancement of the breast, but also for trauma to the chest wall or for oncological reasons meaning breast cancer.

Any surgery is not without risks. Using a medical device like a breast implant is not different. This is the focus of our discussion on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast. My guest is a leading expert in the field. We are going to discuss the medical definition, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment BIA/ALCL. This stands for breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. It is an uncommon form of ALCL.

I am speaking to Dr. Mark Clemens. After receiving his Medical Doctorate from Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Dr. Clemens completed his Plastic Surgery residency at Georgetown University. In 2010, he came to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas where he completed a fellowship in Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Clemens is an active researcher whose interests include BIA-ALCL, long term implant outcomes, robotic-assisted, microvascular, and reconstructive surgery of the breast.

He is the author of the book, Phoenix Rising: Empower & Transform Through Breast Reconstruction. I am honored to list this book on the DiepCJourney Resources tab under Books.

Links to Dr. Clemens social media links can be found here:

LinkedIn: Mark Clemens MD, MBA, FACS

Facebook: faceook.com/clemensmd

Instagram: instagram.com/mclemensmd/

Twitter: twitter.com/clemensmd

I feel twice fortunate to be speaking to my guest on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast on two topics, her specialty of performing DIEP Flap breast reconstruction and her role as conference scientific chair for the London Breast Meeting. It was a phenomenal experience for me to meet her in person at the London Breast Meeting where I learned a great deal from the game-changers in breast surgery, oncology, and breast reconstruction. This gives me the ability to bring more in-depth information to the listeners and breast cancer community we serve at DiepCFoundation.

I am speaking with Marlene See, a consultant in plastic and reconstructive plastic surgery at Guys and St. Thomas Hospital, part of the NHS Foundation Trust in London. Marlene’s specialists interests are breasts and microsurgical breast reconstruction. She trained in London at East Grinstead before embarking on her plastic surgery training. She completed her training in microsurgery at Guys and St. Thomas Hospital. Marlene is a published author on the topic of breast reconstruction, facial analysis, and lower limb reconstruction.

Marlene shares with us the history of when DIEP flaps were introduced in microsurgery. She outlines the reason it is often called the “gold standard” in breast reconstruction, and what area of the body microsurgeons use to reconstruct the breast for those affected by breast cancer. Who is a candidate for DIEP flap and what concerns do patients have about recovery for this surgery? She shares with us the importance of using ERAS protocol to enhance recovery.

We then switch topics and discuss the origins of the London Breast Meeting. Marlene and I glimpse into the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the conference and what the focus will be. It all began ten years ago with an invitation from colleague and friend Jian Farhadi while she was completing her microsurgical fellowship. Jian wanted to begin a conference on breast cancer treatment, breast surgery, breast reconstruction, and aesthetic breast surgery. It has evolved into one of the premier breast meetings to attend and be part throughout the world.

With that, I invite you to listen to the podcast as Marlene shares the goals and theme of the London Breast Meeting 2024.

You can find Marlene See and her colleague Jian Farhadi on Social Media accounts here:

Marlene See:

Instagram: seemarlene

LinkedIn: Marlene See

Jian Farhadi:

Instagram: plasticsurgeryfroup_by_farhadi

LinkedIn: Jian Farhadi

In this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast I speak to Nikki and Sean, a married couple who share the poignant story of going through Nikki’s discovery of a genetic mutation and facing the shocking news of breast cancer.

It is who we meet through our own breast cancer Journey that has a profound impact on a person’s personal life. Nikki and Sean are two of those people in my life. We experience a range of emotions together throughout the podcast because we have known each other for some time. This story needs to be shared in as much as it was difficult at times for us all.

Nikki and Sean give us an honest, raw, touching account of not only learning she had a genetic mutation putting her at high risk of getting breast cancer but also finding out after prophylactic DIEP flap breast reconstruction she found her own breast cancer. What is it like as a couple to hear the news, share it with two young sons, find the humor in life while facing breast cancer, and how they pulled each other through it all. They talk about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and recovery and survivorship.

There are valuable resources we wish to share with you that we spoke about in the podcast. You can gain access to all of them in the following links.

Outdoor Adventure for Young Adults Living with Cancer and MS

Yoga With Leona: Overcoming Breast Cancer Through Yoga

Harmony Hill Healing Retreat

Northwest Hope and Healing: Providing Financial Assistance to breast and gynecologic cancer patients.

Genetic Support Foundation

Mammograms are known to be the most common form of breast imaging to screen for breast cancer. This form of breast imaging is known to some to be uncomfortable and for some women culturally unacceptable. So, this DiepCJourney podcast interview sparked great interest in the work my guest is doing.

Professor Simona Francese, Professor of Forensic and Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry at Sheffield Hallam University is my guest. Her work and interest in forensic science lead her to a serendipitous discovery published in a paper she authored with others entitled, “Non-invasive screening of breast cancer from fingertip smears – a proof of concept study”.

Professor Francese and I met at the London Breast Meeting this year where she opened the conference with her presentation on this topic. I was keen to follow up on an interview with her.

This interview along with slides she shares on the study can be viewed on the DiepCFoundation channel.

Research requires funding. As one who has had numerous mammograms, I am taking it upon myself to share information to reach out to Professor Francese for anyone interested in contacting her to bring financing to this project. It is a favor I am happy to do for her and to the breast cancer community I serve.

Simona Francese

Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University

Howard Street S1 1WB, Sheffield, UK

Email: s.francese@shu.ac.uk

Tel: 0044 114 2256165

You can find links to her social media accounts here:

Instagram: forensic_geek

LinkedIn: Simona Francese

DIEP flap breast reconstruction most often requires surgical drains for post operative care. Patients often mention to me they are awkward, can become infected at the suture site where they are attached to the skin, and are cumbersome to hide under clothing after surgery when going out in public.

My guest on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast has been in communication with me over the past year in anticipation of his recently published paper, Are Surgical Drains Needed in DIEP Flap Surgery? The Drain-Free DIEP Flap Concept.

Mr. Theo Nanidis, is a Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon with the NHS and private practice at The Royal Marsden. He graduated with distinctions from University College London Medical School in 2003 and completed his general surgical and higher plastic surgery training in London. Mr. Nanidis was awarded specialist fellowships at the Royal Marden and Queen Victoria Hospitals, where he spent two years specializing in microsurgery with a focus on breast reconstruction.

He has a special interest in surgical innovation and was awarded The Life Sciences Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Cambridge University in 2013.

His research interests include meta-analytical outcomes research, volumetric analysis of flaps and patient enhanced recovery pathways. He has published and presented his work nationally and internationally.

We reference a paper by Ms. Anita Mohan, Modified aesthetic abdominoplasty approach in perforator free-flap breast reconstruction: Impact of drain free donor site on patient outcomes. This was the impetus for further work and the recently published paper by Mr. Nanidis.

You can find his work on the following social media channels:

LinkedIn: Theodore Nanidis

Twitter: @drplas

Instagram: drtheonanidis

Facebook: Theo Nanidis Plastic Surgeon

Dr. James Craigie from The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction in Charleston, South Carolina, discusses the use of clips, mesh, and sutures used in breast reconstruction surgery on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast.

Many patients ask about these tools and devices. The information Dr. Craigies provides helps the listener understand their use and function in procedures like DIEP flap breast reconstruction.

This podcast cast is a remake of the DiepCFoundation video. We want to present platforms to watch and listen for patients as they reserach options for surgery after mastectomy. Our aim is to provide this information so the listener can takes notes, pause, rewind and replay the episode to prepare questions in order to have a shared decision-making conversation at their surgical consult for breast reconstruction for those affected by breast cancer and facing mastectomy.

You can reach out to their office on the account of their COO (chief operating officer):

Gail Lanter on LinkedIn 

My guests on the DiepCJourney podcast are often made through connections in the breast cancer community. This is the case for Amy Robinson. She was introduced to me by another survivor who like me, benefits from the practice of meditation as part of her survivorship after surgery, treatment, and recovery. As a treat at the end of the podcast, I ask Amy to take us through a three-minute meditation. You won’t want to miss it!

My guest, Amy Robinson, created Radiant Healing Together in 2022 transforming the breast cancer experience with vital research, caring support, and warm community. Her 12+ weekly live events, curated experts, and exclusive 170+ on-demand recordings of events, meditations, and classes help you achieve your greatest wellness & vitality, wherever you are on the breast cancer healing journey. This includes:

• Warm supportive community with 12+ events/week
• Metabolic Approach to Cancer, Radical Remission Healer, Healthy Recipes & Cooking, RHT Expert Summits 
• Leading-Edge Experts in Medical + Emotional Healing and Spiritual Direction  
• Classes with Nutrition, Lymphedema, Pelvic Health & Alignment, Art Therapy, Meditation and Yoga Professionals
• 70+ breast cancer meditations from 5-60 min
• 100+ ON DEMAND events, interviews & classes

You can find Amy and more about her work and resources here:

Radiant Healing Together Private Facebook Group:

Public Facebook Page for Amy

Instagram for Radiant Healing Together

This DiepCJourney podcast will focus on breast imaging. The questions we will discuss are when to see a radiologist, types of imaging, and more specifics about each type. We will look at what the future looks like in medical imaging in breast cancer.

I’m speaking to Dr. Randy Miles. Dr. Miles serves as the chief of breast imaging at Denver Health with oversite over the breast divisions clinical, research, and educational programs. He also serves as the associate director for research in the radiology department.

He earned his medical degree from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. Dr. Miles has achieved multiple awards throughout his career and served on medical missions in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. He completed his master’s in public health degree from Harvard School of Public Health. He completed his diagnostic radiology residency training at the University of Illinois, Chicago where he served as chief resident. He went on to complete his breast imaging fellowship training at the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Dr. Miles has been the recipient of numerous research grants and has published over fifty papers. He talks nationally on his work in artificial intelligence, health literacy, and breast cancer disparities.

Join us as we share these topics that are of interest to those in the breast cancer community served at DiepCFoundation.

Connect with Dr. Randy Miles on his social media accounts here:

Twitter: Randy Miles, MD

LinkedIn: Dr. Randy Miles

The London Breast Meeting will be held from September 7-9, 2023, at the Royal College of Physicians. It is a special opportunity for me to interview and be interviewed by my guest today on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast. My guests and I discuss opportunities we will be involved in at the London Breast Meeting from the perspective of industry leaders, a world class microsurgeon, and patient advocacy.

My guests are Rob Pupelis, CEO of Spectros, a medical device company that makes advanced molecular sensing devices like the T-Stat 2.0 tissue monitoring system for microvascular breast reconstruction like DIEP flap. I also welcome Elizabeth van Thillo, Vice President of Operations for Spectros. Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo joins us in conversation to discuss his role as an invited speaker at the London Breast Meeting. Dr. C is the current President of PRMA in San Antonio, Texas. We engage in conversation about the Breast Advocate® app he created. It is the first shared decision-making app for breast cancer and breast surgery. Dr. C is the Founder of Toliman Health, a digital health company committed to improving patient experience, outcomes, and satisfaction via empowering shared decision-making mobile technology.

I would like to share that this podcast interview was conducted in early July of 2023. We discussed a topic regarding insurance coverage for DIEP flap breast reconstruction that has been a great concern for many, especially those patients affected by breast cancer facing a mastectomy who are interested in tissue-based reconstruction. I am happy to announce at the publish date we can share the news that coverage for DIEP flap and other autologous tissue reconstruction will continue to be covered by insurance allowing full access to reconstructive options for women.

We share the excitement of attending the London Brest Meeting and connecting with colleagues across the globe to learn from gamechangers in oncological breast care and breast surgery. Be sure to listen to our fun London favorites at the end of the interview!

You can follow my guests and find out more on their LinkedIn accounts here:

Rob Pupelis

Elizabeth van Thillo

Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, MD, FACS

My guests on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast are three sisters, all of who have a BRCA 1 genetic mutation, and all of whom had DIEP flap breast reconstruction at the same surgical practice, PRMA, Plastic Reconstructive Microsurgical Associates, in San Antonio, Texas. This is also the surgical practice I had my DIEP flap performed by Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo in December of 2014.

Elaine, the youngest of the three sisters, lead the way being the first to have her prophylactic DIEP flap with Dr. Peter Ledoux. After finding she tested positive for the BRCA 1 genetic mutation, she completed her surgery in late May of 2017. While she was in recovery, her sister, Eleanor, the oldest of the three, had her prophylactic DIEP flap two weeks later with Dr. Chet Nastala.

I met Emily, the middle sister, while we both lived in Tucson, Arizona. Emily traveled to San Antonio in 2017 to help her sisters out during their recovery. After we sat down together in Arizona in 2018, it was in June of that year Emily decided to move forward with her DIEP flap with Dr. Ledoux. Her story is especially unique in that she planned a pregnancy after her DIEP flap. She shares the beautiful story of the birth of her young daughter after her DIEP flap.

This is perhaps one of the most emotional, delightful podcasts I have recorded. We talked about so much we had in common, especially our ties to PRMA. All three sisters are advocates for those who carry a genetic mutation placing them at a high risk of getting breast cancer. They share their story and what others can do to mitigate their risk of getting breast cancer.

Links on Facebook can be found here:

Eleanor Ryder 

Emily Koellner

Link for LinkedIn Account:

Elaine Murray 

Breast cancer is a scary word that no one wants to hear from their physician. When you’re diagnosed with breast cancer your mind can often go to, “How long am I going to live?” But because treatments have improved over the years, survivorship in breast cancer is a word we are hearing more often now in breast cancer communities, online, and in the media.

On this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast, we are shining a light on survivorship with our guest, Deepa R. Halaharvi, DO, who has “seen both sides as a breast cancer survivor and breast cancer surgeon.” She completed her residency in general surgery at Ohio Health Doctors’ Hospital and went on to complete a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Halaharvi practices at the OhioHealth Physician Group.

She shares her personal story, the procedures she performs for her patients including those with ptotic (droopy or sagging breasts) called the goldilocks mastectomy, her procedural practice in clinic for the newly diagnosed, and what she does in her personal life to achieve work-life balance.

Links and social media accounts to find out more about Dr. Halaharvi

The Breast Cancer Podcast

Instagram Account

LinkedIn Account

Facebook Account

When our bodies are physically changed because of breast cancer, it has the real potential of affecting sexual health. There are multiple layers to look at when a person presents with sexual dysfunction. In other words, the natural process of the act of sex has been disrupted due to treatment, surgery, the emotional impact of cancer, and other considerations.

My guest on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast is an expert in this field. I want to welcome Dr. Stacy Tessler Lindau, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Chicago Medicine.

Her Clinical Interests include Cancer Survivorship, Female Sexual Dysfunction, Female sexual function, Gynecologic Cancers, Integrated Women’s Health, and Medical Ethics.

I am pleased about our common connections and would like to mention that I am conducting this podcast because of being asked to help in gathering information on the Bionic Breast Study from patients in the community I serve. We are going to take an in-depth look at that program with Dr. Lindau today as part of the sexual concerns in women with cancer.

Dr. Lindau is also the Founding chair of the Scientific Network on female sexual health and cancer. She also created, Woman Lab, a platform where every woman – and everyone who loves and cares for women – can learn truths about sex.

On the podcast “The Curbsiders Internal Medicine,” Dr. Lindau tackles fully the problem of sexual health not being discussed among many physicians, no matter what discipline they specialize in.

You can find Dr. Lindau on LinkedIn here:

Dr. Stacy (Tessler) Lindau 

Achieving symmetry and understanding fat grafting in breast reconstruction are topics patients frequently ask about. I reached out to an expert in the field.

My guest on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast is Dr. Tim Matatov of Southwest Breast and Aesthetics in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Matatov is a board-certified microsurgeon who performs procedures such as implant breast reconstruction, several autologous reconstruction procedures, autologous meaning using the patient’s own tissue to reconstruct the breast, nipple reconstruction, and a variety of other breast reconstruction procedures.   He works with a team of two other surgeons, Dr. Joseph Zakhary and Dr. Matthew J. Mino.

We discuss mastopexy, or breast lift, in the setting of breast reconstruction. Achieving symmetry in the contralateral breast for a unilateral DIEP flap is important to the patient. It serves a functional purpose as well when wearing wardrobe items like a bra. He points out the psychological benefits to the patient since this becomes a quality of life and self-image concern for women. Dr. Matatov outlines the various names and details of mastopexy procedures and why one might be chosen over the other for optimal patient outcomes. Dr. Matatov shares how important it is to have an open discussion with patients about managing reasonable expectations.

Dr. Matatov continues the discussion with fat grafting. He points out that a lot of the techniques and percentages, and how it all works is for a majority of cases, theoretical. He states there is not any hard proof that one technique or device works better than the other. There are studies that are peer-reviewed but not randomized and controlled to a degree which backs up his statement on fat grafting methods. However, Dr. Matatov feels it is a very effective part of the breast reconstruction process. He points out again that managing patients’ expectations is very important in this step of breast reconstruction. It often takes more than one fat grafting procedure.

Techniques, patient outcomes, value of patient support groups, are discussed further in the podcast.

Social Media accounts to find out more about Dr. Matatov and his practice:

Instagram Account

Facebook Account

My guest today on the DiepCJourney podcast has a blog and website titled, No Half Measures, Living Out loud. 

2017 was a pivotal year in the life of my guest, Abigail Johnston. Early that year, while dual nursing her twin boys she felt a lump in her left breast. The next few months involved multiple appointments with radiologists, oncologists, and surgeons. Abigail was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. 

Abigail Johnston is a wife, mother, writer, educator, earned her JD after completing law school and is a patient advocate. She begins the interview by sharing her experience at the National AACR conference held in early 2023. She sat on a panel with the FDA speaking about the importance of overall survival as an important end point in clinical trials. With all the complexities on that topic, she felt the FDA worked hard to make sure her voice was heard.

Attending conferences allows her to meet other patient advocates and for Abigail and me, this is always one of the highlights of traveling to these meetings. We met in person in December of 2022 at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. As she says, “Those in person hugs, nothing is better, honestly.”

She talks about the idea of “finding a purpose after a serious trauma.” Abigail states that trauma changes you fundamentally as a human being. The question becomes, how do you carry that trauma? Advocacy is the way Abigail has found some purpose in “the derailment of her life.” It has become an overarching theme in her life.

This was a podcast interview that felt comfortable, informative, and one I will go back and listen to myself often. You can reach out to Abigail and find more of her work in the following links:

Blog: No Half Measures: Living Out Loud

Bio: Abigail’s Story

Contact Information: Email Abigail

Place to find Abigail’s writing and work: Social Media and Elsewhere

Democratization is a noun. The meaning of democratization as it pertains to microsurgery is the action of making training and education available through technology, in this case, microsurgery in breast reconstruction. The chosen field of microsurgery requires hours of training and practice. Observing colleagues perform this sophisticated and complex surgery increases their own skill set with the primary goal being improving patient outcomes in breast reconstruction.

I invited back to the DiepCJourney podcast two internationally known microsurgeons. Dr. Joe Dusseldorp practices in Sydney, Australia and is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of surgeons. He has a keen interest in microsurgery and did his training overseas to achieve this status. He is also trained to do robotic assisted surgery.

Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo is the current president of PRMA in San Antonio, Texas, and founder of the Breast Advocate®, a free shared decision-making app for breast cancer surgery and breast reconstruction. He holds a board certification in plastic surgery. As he states, board certification matters in your relevant field. Dr. C underwent further training in microsurgery that included burns and hand which led him to microsurgical breast reconstruction. It is the core of his practice with his team member surgeons at PRMA.

Dr. Joe invited Dr. C to join him live in the operating theater using the Proximie technology system to observe a robotic assisted DIEP flap breast reconstruction. When you hear the term “mate” from a London born microsurgeon, Dr. C, referring to Dr. Joe in Sydney, you know they have become colleagues in surgery as well as friends who have a passion for providing the best outcomes for breast cancer patients in breast reconstructive surgery.

I invite you enjoy the conversation and explanation of how these two cross-continental surgeons seamlessly joined each other via the Proximie technology system in the operating theater discussing, learning, and sharing their combined skill in a robotic assisted DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Dr. Joe and Dr. C both say this is the way forward, democratization in surgery, allowing more surgeons to train in real time, avoiding the need to travel and take them away from their patients and time in clinic and the OR.

Resources discussed in the Podcast.

Proximie Healthcare Platform

Dr. Joe’s DiepCFoundation educational video on Robotic Assisted DIEP flap

Dr. C’s DiepCFoundation educational video on Reducing Abdominal Complications: DIEP Flap

Connect with Dr. Joe

Dr. Joe on Instagram

Dr. Joe on Twitter

Dr. Joe on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Chrysopoulo

Dr. C. on Instagram

Dr. C. on Twitter

Dr. C. on LinkedIn

Megan-Claire Chase is a breast cancer survivor who deals with a lot of effects from treatment and being diagnosed with lobular breast cancer at a very young age. But she excitedly begins our conversation by saying her pain melted away at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium when she was able to meet patient advocates in person for the first time. Social media connects many of us but the conference we both attended in early December of 2023 allowed us to sit down together to share intimate conversations, ask each other how we are doing, and share our advocacy work. I was fortunate to be one of those advocates to finally meet her in person at the meeting.

Megan-Claire experienced strange symptoms for about two years that were left without a diagnosis. Her mother had ovarian cancer when she was pregnant with Megan-Claire. She states she felt this made her a miracle baby for her parents. Megan-Claire felt certain at some point in her lifetime she would get cancer because she has a strong history in her family. Because of this she was able to get a mammogram at age thirty-five and have it covered by insurance.

Being hyper aware of her body due to family history of cancer, the signs she saw were concerning. She noticed tiny green bruising on her legs, weight gain, loss of hair on the left side of her head, and a “zit” on the outside of her left breast. She knew something was not right. Megan-Claire shares with us she would like the medical community to be more aware that black women and other women of color will present with different symptoms that her white counterparts.

This leads us to a more in-depth conversation on health disparities, implicit biases in breast cancer care and what Megan-Claire accomplishes in her community and advocacy work to improve the communication between the patient and physician. Megan-Claire will be participating in a community event to connect patients and provide these resources June 15-21 of 2023.

The event and other ways to join Megan-Claire on social media can be found here.

National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week started by the FDA through the Oncology Center of Excellence.

Megan-Claire’s Linked Account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-claire-chase/

Breast Cancer Program Director: Share Cancer Support