Archives for October 2013

BRA Day USA, The SHE Event, and Paint the Town Pink!

October 7, 2013 by Gail

National Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day, or BRA Day, will be October 16.

BRA Day promotes awareness and education about post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. Most women do not know anything about their options regarding breast reconstruction, and even fewer know about the proper timing of cancer treatment and reconstruction surgery and the variability in outcomes.

BRA Day USA supporters hold local events to help spread awareness of breast cancer treatment and the plastic surgeon’s role in breast reconstruction. Supporters help educate about surgery and financing options. The goal is a broader understanding of the options available to women after mastectomy.

Jewel, the singer and songwriter, is the national spokesperson for BRA Day and has written a song to benefit patients, “Flower.” If you would like to start a BRA Day event in your area, visit the website for a free BRA Day Starter Guide and Marketing/PR Toolkit to help you plan your BRA Day activities. Past BRA Day events include art contests, flash mobs, seminars about reconstruction, and fundraising events to support the BRA fund.

At the end of September, we were sponsors for the SHE Event at the Convention Center. A celebration of everything woman, SHE was three days of events just for her, with plenty of style, food, entertainment, arts and crafts, shopping, and healthy living. For more info, check the SHE Event website here. Events included an opening night party, a fashion show for mothers and daughters, wine and cocktail tastings, and a workshop on how to use color effectively in your home.

Flower power at the SHE event!

Paint the Town Pink

Our Lowcountry Race for the Cure® affiliate has challenged all area businesses to get creative with the color PINK! Businesses have decorated their storefronts in a pink theme and displayed the Race poster. There is a competition, so be sure to check out the businesses downtown before the prizes are announced on Friday, October 18.

Remember, Saturday, October 19 is the 20th Annual Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure®. Please join us, and for more information visit the Lowcountry affiliate page.

Filed Under: Health and Wellness

Flap Procedure Using Tissue or Muscle–What is My Best Option?

October 4, 2013 by Gail

This week, Dr. James Craigie of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answer your questions.

Q: had a double mastectomy in July 2012. I have one successful implant (right) and the left had to be removed due to infection. I need a flap procedure and want to know which one you usually recommend? I have had a lot of bad ratings for the stomach procedure.

A: Thank you for the question, and I am sorry you have had problems with your implant.

When implants don’t work out, usually using your own tissue can be an option to complete the process without using an implant. We specialize in using your own tissue but without sacrificing your muscle. Giving up the tummy muscle can be a problem and may have been part of the reason you have had less than favorable reviews on that subject. We prefer to use the body area that has sufficient tissue to rebuild the breast and take no muscle to do that. We can use the tummy, buttock or thigh tissue. I would be glad to give you more specific recommendations if I had more info. Let me know if you would like my office to contact you for more specifics.

Dr. James Craigie

Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction

Have a question about breast reconstruction you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask us!

Filed Under: Ask the Doctor Tagged With: breast implants using tissue, breast reconstruction options, flap procedure, flap procedure with muscle

You’re Not Alone: The Best of “In Her Words”

October 2, 2013 by Gail

As we enter October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s more important than ever to make sure the message is clear: You are not alone.

Every day, walking among us, are women who just received their diagnosis, who just underwent their first biopsy or their first radiation treatment, who just met with a doctor they will see for many years as they fight for their lives, who just scheduled their first surgery or their reconstruction.

There is a saying, “A woman is like a tea bag…you never know how strong she is until she’s in hot water.”

That’s why we are so proud to present this archive of In Her Words guest blogs.

These women have gone through tremendous challenges to overcome cancer or stand up for those who are breast cancer survivors or current patients. We hope these stories give you comfort, inspire you, and show you that you are not alone. Feel free to share these with the loved ones in your life, too, and don’t hesitate to contact our Center if you are seeking breast reconstruction information or options.

From Our “In Her Words” Archive: