DiepCJourney Podcast

This episode of the DiepCJourney podcas t 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 speciali...

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....

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 a...

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...

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 th...

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 surg...

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...

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 Hal...

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 y...

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 br...

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....

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,...

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 pati...

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...

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...

  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 Diep...

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, sever...

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 b...

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...

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 confere...

The art of microsurgery transcends the work behind surgical loupes and microscopes when a breast cancer patient has breast reconstruction after loss of breasts due to a disease. My guest on this episode of the  DiepCJourney podcast are two microsurgeons who worked together to create Project Restored Dr. Ron Israeli and Dr. Jonathan Bank selected several of their patients to participate in this uni...

We are speaking about the art and practice of microsurgery as it relates to breast reconstruction surgery in this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast . Microsurgery is a specialty of plastic surgery requiring training beyond plastic surgery residency. Microsurgery involves moving tissue and blood vessels from one part of the body to another to repair or replace tissue that has been affected by dis...

In this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast I speak with a medical oncologist. Dr. Eleanora Teplinsky has her own podcast called, INTERLUDE: Cancer Stories with Dr. Teplinsky. She is Head of Breast Medical Oncology and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at The Icahn School of Medicine in Mount Sinai, NY. She has a robust and education Instagram account speaking about key topics in cancer car...

Neosho Ponder, Ph. D. , Adjunct Professor at Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC is an author, educator, breast cancer survivor, and woman of faith. She personifies resilience. Neosho is my guest on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast . We met as patient advocates at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December of 2022 and found our lives had many parallels. We talk about t...

Access to DIEP flap breast reconstruction is in danger. Why? Because of coding changes to insurance, it may become out of reach financially for some women. This is the most advanced form of breast reconstruction available, and I felt it was time to address this concern. I begin by sharing my own story and how I was positively affected by making the choice to have DIEP flap after a second breast ca...