A new project at Not Putting on a Shirt Sign the petition or write a letter to your legislators! What is the WHCRA? The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) is national legislation passed in 1998 which required most insurance companies to cover breast mound reconstruction (BMR) after mastectomy, surgery and reconstruction of theContinue reading “Demand Parity for Flat Closure – Amend the WHCRA”
Category Archives: Flat Advocacy
Back to Work at NPoaS!
An announcement from our Founder After an intensive six month professional relationship developing our sister organization Flat Closure NOW in collaboration with other flat advocacy powerhouse women, I have decided to refocus my advocacy efforts back to the grassroots work that matters so much to me – and that’s here at Not Putting on aContinue reading “Back to Work at NPoaS!”
NEW! Going Flat After Mastectomy Survey 2019
Update: the Survey will close on Sunday June 9th! If you have a participant code but have not yet completed the Survey, please do so before the date above. Thanks to our readership we have over 200 participants now! Let’s keep it going – please share! Web and social media links to share: NEW 2019Continue reading “NEW! Going Flat After Mastectomy Survey 2019”
NPoaS Survey 2018 Report
Download the entire report here. The data analysis is in from our “Going Flat After Mastectomy Survey 2018.” Many thanks to those who participated in this important work! Addressing the Data Deficit on Flat Closure There is little to no data in the existing body of scientific literature that specifically addresses the quality of lifeContinue reading “NPoaS Survey 2018 Report”
Should I Confront My Surgeon?
Confronting Your Surgeon After Flat Denial: A Personal Choice Preface by NPoaS Founder, Kim Bowles If you have been a victim of flat denial, I wrote this for you. Before we delve into the issue of confronting your surgeon, I want to make sure that you hear this: You’re not alone; This is not your fault;Continue reading “Should I Confront My Surgeon?”
The Middle Way? SWIM
Reconstructing a normal anatomic chest contour post-mastectomy using a new plastic surgery technique without implants or distant tissue donor sites As patient demand grows for high quality, aesthetically pleasing flat mastectomy closures, cutting edge surgical techniques will be part of the conversation. Today we discuss a new technique called the “Goldilocks mastectomy,” or SWIM. ThisContinue reading “The Middle Way? SWIM”
Last Week to Participate in Our 2018 Survey
We are now in the last week of data collection for our 2018 survey. “Going Flat After Mastectomies” 2018 Survey (request your participant code here) If you have gone flat after mastectomy, please consider participating in this short, anonymized survey. It’s an opportunity to contribute to ending flat denial that’s quick and easy. We want to hearContinue reading “Last Week to Participate in Our 2018 Survey”
Finally Flat: Suzie’s Revision Story
Editor: For women who initially chose implant reconstruction, and are dissatisfied with their implant experience (there are multiple reasons this may happen – pain, infection, capsular contracture, skin healing issues, implant migration, etc.), the next step is to remove the implants. This procedure is called “explant.” After explant, there will almost always be significant excessContinue reading “Finally Flat: Suzie’s Revision Story”
Aesthetic Results Matter to Male Patients Too
Just before the holiday, the BBC published an article featuring a UK man, Peter Bagnall, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and was denied surgery to produce a symmetric aesthetic result, causing him immense emotional distress. Men represent less than 1% of all breast cancer diagnoses, but that number represents thousands of men every yearContinue reading “Aesthetic Results Matter to Male Patients Too”
Focus on Flat Closure Techniques
Awareness Continues to Spread Word continues to spread among the surgical community that patients going flat after mastectomy expect their choice to be given the care and consideration it deserves – the same level that is afforded to the choice to reconstruct. Patients going flat expect a high-quality flat closure in one surgery whenever possible.Continue reading “Focus on Flat Closure Techniques”