NPOAS at Breast Surgery Conference April 2023

Critical Flat Closure Advocacy

The NPOAS Board will be attending the American Society of Breast Surgeons annual conference again this year, in Boston, MA, with an exhibitor’s booth to advocate for aesthetic flat closure. We will be engaging providers one on one, providing brochures for surgeons to take back home and use in their practices, learning about and supporting coding and oncoplastic training, and engaging with researchers. Read the 2022 Conference recap here!

We thank you in advance for your contribution to this critical endeavor that we are undertaking on behalf of all women!

About The ASBrS Conference

The American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) is a professional medical society of general surgeons specializing in the treatment of breast disease. Their annual meeting is held every Spring, and brings members together to network, learn about the latest research in the field, and to participate in hands-on trainings.

Why We Are Attending

The conference provides unique advocacy opportunities.

Not Putting on a Shirt collaborates with diverse stakeholders to effect durable institutional change, and chief among these are breast surgeons. By meeting these medical professionals where they’re at, we are able to leverage unique advocacy opportunities to:

  • Engage providers in one-on-one discussion about aesthetic flat closure
  • Give interested providers brochures to take back and use in their practice
  • Network with other stakeholders – including the NAPBC – to promote our mission
  • Learn about the latest research in oncoplastic breast surgery
  • Offer a flat closure patient’s perspective during debates
  • Engage with researchers to promote further studies to support an improved, evidence-based standard of care for aesthetic flat closure

LEARN MORE

#aestheticflatclosure
#putflatonthemenu
#notputtingonashirt

FLAT New Year’s Milestones

We are thrilled to report TWO New Year’s FLAT milestones at NPOAS!

Today, Fierce, FLAT, Forward reached 10,000 members! This number represents lives touched and even saved by the peer & community support provided therein. A heartfelt thank you to group founder and NPOAS VP Christy Avila for her compassionate, steady leadership.

As of January 06, 2023, we have over 500 surgeons listed on the Flat Friendly Directory! Thanks to our surgeons and their recommenders!

Recommend your surgeon here; find a surgeon here.

#aestheticflatclosure
#putflatonthemenu
#notputtingonashirt

Providers: Here’s How You Can Help

If you’re a surgical professional interested in getting more involved in flat advocacy and wanting to support patients going flat, here are eight ways you can help today!

  1. Apply to be listed on our Flat Friendly Surgeons Directory. Connect with more patients going flat and showcase your flat closure expertise.
  2. Order My Choice: AFC brochures for your clinical practice. These brochures are available free of charge and support your patients in their decision making process.
  3. Update your practice website to include AFCThis is an important part of presenting going flat as an equal option alongside breast reconstruction.
  4. Submit before & after photos of your patients to the AFC Surgical Photo Database at AestheticFlatClosure.comHelp us populate this database, which will be used for research as well as setting expectations.
  5. Lobby within your professional associations for an improved standard of care for AFC, especially better training for general surgery residents. Aesthetic flat closure should involve careful removal of all redundant lateral tissue, obliteration of the inframammary fold, and the production of smooth, symmetric incision closures (Karp et. al., 2022).
  6. Join the NPOAS Advisory Council or the AFC Research & Training Working Group (AFC-WG). The AFC-WG is a council of breast and plastic surgeons, researchers and patient advocates working to identify and advance a research and surgical training agenda to support the development of an evidence-based, optimal standard of care for aesthetic flat closure. Contact us with questions, comments or ideas!
  7. Sign up for our newsletter for flat advocacy news, updates & volunteering opportunities
  8. Donate to support our work. As NPOAS is an all-volunteer organization, 100% of your donation funds our advocacy work.
#aestheticflatclosure
#putflatonthemenu
#notputtingonashirt

NPOAS Welcomes New Board Member Mimi Frazier of Linkage Beauty Movement

Meet our newest Board member at Not Putting on a Shirt, Mimi Frazier of Linkage Beauty Movement LLC! Mimi has been a brilliant breast cancer and flat advocate since 2019, and was the winner of the Flat Retreat Flat Visibility Award this year in Chicago. The work Mimi has done and continues do to uplift and support all breast cancer survivors and thrivers, reconstructed and unreconstructed, inspires us daily. We are thrilled to have her join us at NPOAS!

“Hello, I am Mimi Frazier, from the Washington DC area, with over 12+ years of working in Housing Administration and the Human Resources field. I decided to take my career and life mission on another path after being diagnosed with Stage 3B HER2 Positive Invasive Breast Cancer in 2015. I establish a safe and supportive social media community in 2019 for women fighting, surviving, and thriving with Breast Cancer. Linkage Beauty Movement LLC has since developed into a thriving foundation, solely focused on making a positive change in the lives of women fighting cancer around the world. Showcasing survivors, conducting outreach, linking women together, sending out Linkage Care Boxes, presenting awards, promoting physical fitness awareness, providing resources, and creating 100% Natural, Homemade Essential Wellness products for women to use on our skin and hair, is just some of the work I do daily. Currently, I am studying for my Master’s degree in Human Services at Walden University, with hopes of becoming a Professional Human Services Practitioner, developing Cancer Resource Centers across the United States by 2025. I’m excited to join the NPOAS Board of Directors in hopes of bringing compassion, hope, diversity, and diplomacy to share with everyone.”

Contact Mimi by email to mimi@notputtingonashirt.org or linkagebeautymovement@gmail.com

Visit the Linkage Beauty Movement WEBSITE

… and the Linkage Essentials ONLINE STORE

LBM Main Telephone: 240-602-8875

Find her on Instagram: @linkagebeautyllc  & @linkageessentials

#aestheticflatclosure
#putflatonthemenu
#notputtingonashirt

NY Governor Signs AFC Bill Into Law

Breaking! New York Governor Kathy Hochul has just signed historic AFC legislation! AFC services are now required by law (Chapter 571) to be covered by insurance in the state of New York. This is a huge step forward for breast cancer survivors nationwide as New York state leads the way for other states to follow suit.

“‘Breast cancer survivors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect by our health care system,’ Governor Hochul said.”

Read the whole announcement here.

More about the legislation at NotPuttingonaShirt.org/NYBill

Thank you, Governor Hochul!

#aestheticflatclosure

#chestwallreconstruction

#putflatonthemenu

Stand Tall: AFC Campaign UPDATE!

The 2022 Stand Tall: AFC visibility campaign has been a smashing success so far this October! STAFC Teams have touched the hearts of so many across the globe, and the walks have garnered lots of media attention. We even have a big rig truck branded with the STAFC banner graphic and Dr. Sage!

STAFC in the Media!

No breasts, no regrets for Wichita breast cancer survivor

Local woman takes ‘flat’ to the streets for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

‘I’m A Breast Cancer Survivor And A Proud ‘Flattie.’ Here’s Why I Said No To Reconstructive Surgery’

Good Day Chicago! with Renee Ridgeley and Matt Selman (video)

CBS 5 Making Strides Coverage (video)

East Styrian had both breasts removed: “I felt liberated” (Dutch)

STAFC Walk Photos

These are just a few photos from the over 40 STAFC walks scheduled for the month of October! Flat hugs, solidarity, and support – it’s all part of becoming visible to one another, as Audre Lorde said.

STAFC Truck!

Trucker Brita Nowak‘s rig was decked out for FLAT visibility at Total Truck Branding in Illinois – keep your eyes peeled on the highways of the continental USA and you might spot her!

… and Stay Tuned!

Stay tuned for more updates on the Stand Tall: AFC visibility campaign. And follow STAFC on Facebook for live updates!

“When Boobs Go Bad” Article on Medium

“Women shouldn’t be made to feel that we must reconstruct to retain cherished relationships or social acceptance, have an active sex life, or keep our self-worth.”

“When Boobs Go Bad: A Welcome to Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” is a fantastic article co-authored by Sara Nash of FLATworks Press & Christy Avila, founder of International FLAT Day and Fierce Flat Forward and NPOAS VP. Read the whole article:

Book on Explanting – Now Available

If you’re considering explanting to flat (or explanting your augmentation), Busting Free: How to Liberate Yourself from the Quest for Better Breasts Before, During, and Long After Explant is written just for you. Written by licensed social worker and psychotherapist Amanda Savage Brown, Busting Free gives you the evidence-based tools you need to make the decision that aligns with your values and priorities. These tools guide you through the unique mental, emotional and social challenges posed by explant. A valuable resource! Now available on Amazon.

BCAM Corporate Fundraisers for NPOAS

Enormous thanks to three amazing companies – Total Truck Branding, Crazy Dayz Tattoos, and CRDN – for selecting NPOAS as the beneficiary of their October breast cancer awareness fundraisers! We are honored to be chosen!

Total Truck Branding: Complete branding solutions for semi-trucks, trailers and other vehicles.

“Printed on the highest quality materials available and coated with a durable shield, which holds up against all the elements! Our mission is to provide our customers with high quality services using only the highest quality of materials at an affordable price.”

Fundraiser. TTB sells pink ribbon stickers every October and donates the proceeds to a breast cancer organization of its choosing.

Special thanks to Brita Nowak and owner Mario Lekovic!

Fundraiser. CD will donate 75% of the proceeds from every breast cancer related tattoo during the month of October to the Stand Tall AFC Campaign.

Special thanks to Kori Piquet and owner Stephan Daley!

(Left) NPOAS President Kim Bowles with (Right) Crazy Dayz Tattoos owner Stephan Daley.

CRDN: Restoration Cleaning & Contents Restoration

“CRDN helps you pick up the pieces after a disaster. As a leading expert in textile and electronic restoration, CRDN serves as part of the emergency response team. We work with policyholders, insurance representatives, and contractors to restore your textiles, electronics, and peace of mind after a fire, flood, storm, or other disaster.”

Fundraiser. CRDN’s annual October fundraiser involves asking customers to “donate their change” to a breast cancer organization of CRDN’s choosing.

Special thanks to Stefanie Gibson, and to CRDN owners Michelle Windsor-Baughman & Joe Baughman!

For more information about corporate fundraisers and donating to NPOAS or to the Stand Tall AFC Campaign specifically, contact our team at info@notputtingonashirt.org

REGISTERED CHARITY ID# 84-3021062