Breast cancer comes in many different “flavors,” but we often face similar options when it comes to surgery and can relate to each other in how we navigate a changing body image as well as chronic pain during survivorship (often these are things no one tells you about when you’re going through treatment!) In today’s episode I’m joined again by my panel of 4 amazing breast cancer survivors to continue the conversation about what survivorship REALLY looks like and we’re diving into the things no one warns you about around surgical options, body image, and chronic pain after surgery.

You’ll hear:

• Why finding the RIGHT doctor for you is so important (and why it’s OK to get a 2nd or 3rd or 4th opinion!)
• The changes in breast reconstruction options
• Our most significant long term challenges after surgery, and how we have handled them
• Navigating body image and relationships post-surgery when your nipples were removed, you just have 1 left, they point the wrong way, or are sensitive in the wrong ways
• The strange sensations we have noticed after surgery
• Unexpected physical complications after surgery
• Why physical therapy is so important after surgery
• And more!

MEET THE PANEL:

Charlotte Schaff was diagnosed in 2018 at the age of 47 with stage 2A breast cancer. Check out more about her story in Episode 17

Gemma Emmett is a two-time breast cancer survivor diagnosed in 2013 at the age of 29 with stage 3B breast cancer and had a recurrence in 2017. Check out more about her story in Episode 8

Robyn McTague was diagnosed with DCIS in 2000 at the age of 44. Check out more about her story in Episode 14

Tanja Thompson is also a two-time breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer in 2004 and had a recurrence in 2009. Check out more about her story in Episode 22