Chicago Tribune article about post-mastectomy options

Erica3681
Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

Because of my BreastFree.org website, I was contacted by the Chicago Tribune for a story they were doing about both reconstruction and non-reconstruction. The reporter was great and asked really intelligent questions. To my surprise, the paper decided feature a photo of me and arranged for a photo shoot. It was really fun, although I did agonize about what to wear, including which breast forms.

The article is available online at http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-0921-bc-implants-20110921,0,47083.story.  The print version will appear in tomorrow's (Sunday's) Chicago Tribune. It's also already been syndicated in a number of papers, including the L.A. Times and the Miami Herald.

I feel the piece is very balanced and presents non-reconstruction in a positive light.

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Comments

  • ibcmets
    ibcmets Member Posts: 4,286
    edited October 2011

    That's wonderful Erica.  Keep on blogging.

    Terri

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  • nagem
    nagem Member Posts: 353
    edited October 2011

    Wonderful article, Barbara, and you look great! So which forms did you use?

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  • caaclark
    caaclark Member Posts: 936
    edited October 2011

    FANTASTIC!!!!  And I agree-you look wonderful! 

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  • Alpal
    Alpal Member Posts: 1,785
    edited October 2011

    The article appeared in our paper (very small town) on Thursday. It was picked up from the LA Times. I was really impressed!

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  • doingbetter
    doingbetter Member Posts: 117
    edited October 2011

    Barbara,

     Great picture. And you are correct. I think it is a very well balanced article. Thanks for the link.

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited October 2011

    So glad you all liked the article.

    nagem, for breast forms/bra I decided to go with tried and true, so wore the same combo I used for my son's wedding: an Anita Gloria bra and Amoena Climate breast forms. I've had the Climate forms for several years. More recently, I got a pair of Amoena Energy forms in an oval shape, which also fit nicely in that bra.

    Alpal, that's so cool that the article appeared in your local paper. Thanks for letting me know.

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  • BoobsinaBox
    BoobsinaBox Member Posts: 550
    edited October 2011

    Great article, Barbara!  Thanks for helping spread the word about the options we have other than reconstruction!  You look beautiful in the photo, and I know you will inspire even more people!

    Dawn 

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  • CLC
    CLC Member Posts: 1,531
    edited October 2011

    Great article!  Thank you for being such a fantastic resource to those of us just facing this.

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  • hbcheryl
    hbcheryl Member Posts: 5,113
    edited October 2011

    Terrific article and beautiful picture of you.

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  • badger
    badger Member Posts: 34,614
    edited October 2011

    Hey Barbara - nice article, thanks for sharing, and yes you do look great!  :-)

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  • brazos58
    brazos58 Member Posts: 261
    edited October 2011

    Kudos to you Barbara. Thank you for all the hard work you do for ALL OF US walking the Road Less Traveled.

    Hugs

    brazos

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  • cinnamonsmiles
    cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
    edited October 2011

    Well done as a representative for us that had mastectomies with no reconstruction!!! It may be me, but it seems like 1. mastectomies are kind of given a negative skew and 2. no reconstruction is worse....but again maybe only me...Even a local ad for a cancer center in my area sends a negative spin on mastectomies in its ad for breast cancer treatment.

    My only complaint is that they should have devoted more to mastectomy with no reconstruction in the article!!!

    Anway, thank you so much for being such a wonderful representative for us and being such a solid, helpful, encouraging woman for us all!!! I do appreciate your website, you and the other women on here have been most helpful since my BMX on 1/11/11 with no reconstruction!!!!  Yaaaaahhhhhhooooooo......LOL

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited October 2011

    Barbara, how lovely you look, and what a wonderful article! I agree it's well balanced, and I know interviewing you had a LOT to do with that. What a great subject to cover for the October pink season -- something so important but so often overlooked when "awareness" is discussed. THANK YOU for all you do for all of us!!

    Hugs and congrats!
    Binney

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  • sespebadger
    sespebadger Member Posts: 249
    edited October 2011

    Wonderful article. Keep up the good work.

    I'm happy there are laws to support women getting reconstruction paid for by insurrance if they want it. I'm also glad there are women speaking up for the option of no reconstruction. It's a sensible option for some women.

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  • MzzHope
    MzzHope Member Posts: 49
    edited October 2011

    Beautiful picture and great article! Kudos to you for all you do.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited October 2011

    Barbara, what a terrific article and lovely photo. I'm so glad you were chosen to represent the non-reconstruction side. I agree the article is balanced, which is amazing. They even touched on some of the negatives of implants, which I think are usually downplayed. Thank you for doing such a great job representing those of us who have chosen to live breast free and for all your hard work in maintaining a wonderful website.

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  • kmpod
    kmpod Member Posts: 234
    edited October 2011

    Kudos, Barbara.

    I was impressed with the accurate information in the article and, even more so, with its balanced presentation.

    I hope that it gets very wide circulation. 

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  • greenfrog
    greenfrog Member Posts: 269
    edited October 2011

    Great work Erica - a good balanced article.

    Because of painful scarring and lymphoedema I really can't wear my prostheses anymore and now go totally flat most of the time. It is surprising the effects you can achieve with some creative dressing.

    I love your website Erica - it has been so helpful to me over the past few years - really boosts my confidence whenever I get a touch of the jitters. Thank you.

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited October 2011

    What a great group of women you are -- I so much appreciate your supportive comments.

    greenfrog, I'd love to know what dressings techniques you've found helpful and I imagine others would be interested, too. That's one area I haven't addressed well on my website. I even created a page called fashion ideas, but have yet to put anything up there. 

    The Tribune article almost coincided with a personal milestone. Today is exactly five years since my bilateral mastectomy surgery.

    Barbara

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  • greenfrog
    greenfrog Member Posts: 269
    edited October 2011

    Congratulations on your 5 year anniversary Barbara  - and you look terrific in the photo.

    I have found that waistcoats (what you call vests in the USA) are very helpful - especially if they are somewhat tailored so that they puff out at the top. I then wear a scarf and tuck the ends inside the waistcoat (where the boobs should be). It works well for me because I was never very big busted and I always wore a lot of scarves and waistcoats before I had the bi-mx.

    Generally lots of tailored layers do the trick - which is fine in cool weather but not quite so easy in the summer. This weekend I went to the beach in a low cut t-shirt - it was too hot to do otherwise. Oddly enough I have found that the more revealing the neckline the less conspicuous the flatness.  

    As the years go by I am growing more confident with being boob free. (I do hate my prostheses - I feel like a transvestite whenever I put them on.) I would love to wake up tomorow with some breasts of my own. But I just cannot subject myself to the lengthy surgery and all the associated risks of current reconstruction options.

    Good luck to all women living without breasts - it isn't always easy. But a boob is just a boob - I can still walk, see, hear, speak. There are many people in this world a lot worse off than me. All the best.

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  • angeljoy
    angeljoy Member Posts: 128
    edited October 2011

    Good article Barbara, and you look great! It's great to see you get some recognition for what you do.  When I was making my decision to stop pursuing reconstruction, your website really gave me hope and courage. Thank you!

     Angela

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited October 2011

    Barbara, what a wonderful milestone! Congratulations on your continued good health!

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