Amy was solely 37 when she was identified with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early-stage breast most cancers. After a lumpectomy and 5 years of tamoxifen, a medicine that blocks the consequences of estrogen to cut back the chance of recurrence, she believed her most cancers journey was over. However at 42, a brand new physician advisable genetic testing and the outcomes modified all the things.
A optimistic BRCA gene take a look at revealed that her danger of recurrence was as excessive as seventy-five p.c. “As soon as I knew the odds, there was no query—I needed to take motion,” Amy remembers. She underwent a hysterectomy adopted by a preventive double mastectomy inside months. Whereas she was ready for the medical necessity of those breast reconstruction surgical procedures, the emotional toll was important. “I beloved my breasts,” Amy says. “Dropping them felt like shedding part of myself.”
Breast reconstruction grew to become a essential step in her restoration. Nonetheless, radiation had left her with challenges—her left facet didn’t match her proper. That’s when her plastic surgeon advisable she be part of Mentor’s ATHENA scientific examine, designed to guage the security and effectiveness of the MemoryGel Improve breast implants. “Committing to 10 years of annual MRIs wasn’t simple, but it surely gave me peace of thoughts,” she explains. Seven years later, Amy feels assured and entire once more. “The implants helped me reclaim part of myself I believed I had misplaced.”
By means of her journey, Amy realized the significance of advocating for herself. “I want I had switched medical doctors sooner and spoken up extra,” she displays. Now, she shares her breast reconstruction story brazenly to assist others. “This journey is tough, but it surely’s additionally empowering whenever you take management of your decisions.”