Thanks for the info…I’ll look out for any repeats…x
Hi all… although I found the programme interesting and moving in parts It was the reconstruction of the young girl that opted for the
preventative double mastectomy …I was soooooo jealous when she revealed her boobs cos I can tell you I have had a LD flap recon and it doesnt look anything like that I havent even got a nipple …I think it was misleading to say the least if you were deciding about recon and were yet to have it done they would sure to be disappointed .
Maz
At least someone has made a programme and put out on prometime!What appalled me was how younger women had to badger docters to get anyone to take them seriously.
As an introduction to the subject it was quite good-now all we need is one for us older ladies ie those over 50.Car
I found it very emotional and informative too. However, they did seem to imply that every woman needing a mastectomy is offered an immediate reconstruction - indeed after reading various articles in the media I was under that impression too - until my diagnosis when I was refused an immediate recon. They didn’t show any mastectomy scars, maybe it is too taboo?
I have to say I watched both parts of this program and although I do feel for Dawn losing her mum - did find in parts I was getting annoyed with her - even my hubby was getting cross with the over dramatisation. I know how result waiting can be difficult - We have all been there.
also the recon - Now I have not needed this as had just lump removed but we got not a real reflection of what a true recon is - rather than a preventative one.
I wish they had spent time going through the ladies having treatment and the real emotions the ladies with secondaries have to go through.
on the funny side - I can’t imagine having to put coffee up my bottom!!!
Rapsodyangel
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I watched this and although I agree it was Dawn’s personal journey the bit that stuck out for me was the girl that had opted for the preventative double mastectomy, she kept her own nipples and her boobs were great. My hubby and I were bowled over! No this will not be what my reconstructed boobs will look like but It became a real option for us to consider and discuss with our daughter if she carries the gene. There is no history before me for breast cancer in my family but it has to start somewhere. It made us both feel so much better that there would be options for our daughter should the need arise and from that point it was very useful and put our minds at rest, she is only 5 at the moment but you do worry about the future for her!
Snottrags I agree you have to be desperate to put coffee up your bottom…
oh my god this program was excellent and dawn went through my exact journey
my mum died at 45 with ovarian my nan died at 30 of the same my great gran had breast and my sister had breast at 28 thankfully with hysterectomy and mesectomy she is now ok
i found out 2years ago that im a brca1 carrier but knew we had a bad gene before results it was obvious so last year i had a oopherectomy as a preventive and considering double masectomy
i felt lucky that i can find out now before it gets me and do as much as i can to lower my high risk
my family werent so lucky thankgod for todays science i have a chance that they didnt have
It was a good programme with some plus points but i must admit Dawn was too self indulgent for my liking and too over dramatic.
hi its jude again, it was dawns own journey and as close as you can get to mine except for the result as im a brca1 carrier im 35 and had preventive oopherectomy last year
the difference is if unfortunately your diagnosed with breast cancer your choices are very limited
if your lucky like me and can prevent it we are offered different options and thankfully one is to have a double masectomy with immediate recon and fantastic boobs like the young girl in the programme has
we are the lucky ones and wish that all ladies including cancer sufferers had our options and i do feel guilty at what im offered as like the ladies say once you have bc they take the whole thing away
Hi everyone
For anyone who missed this, it’s on SKY 2 at 10.00pm tonight and tomorrow. Thought I’d send a reminder as it’s certainly provoked many thoughts!
Lots of love to all xxx
My mother died from bilateral metastatic breast cancer and I had 5 maternal aunts with the disease and my only sister was diagnosed (bilateral again) at 31. I think Dawn’sprogramme was a disgrace. She squealed through her mammogram which could discourage other women who have one done. She got a screening MRI - which is not available in any NHS hospital I have ever been in - and also had walk in genetic testing which is not routinely offered. Even with my appalling family history my three daughters and I cannot have genetic testing because neither my mum or sister (both bilateral sufferers) have the BRACA 1 or 2 mutation.
Dawn giggled about the Gerson method after having tried it for just a few hours and giving it up because she found it embarrassing ! Cancer patients resort to Gerson when they are very scared and desperate and that’s never a laughing matter.
Her programme was misleading to any woman who relies on the NHS for screening and/or treatment - as has been said reconstructions often aren’t immediate or as good as the one she showed.
I am glad Dawn’s tests results were good, the tests that the majority of women in this country wouldn’t be offered if they turned up at an NHS hospital. So the programme clearly wasn’t informative and it certainly wasn’t entertaining - so what was it for ?
hi its jude i thought id tell people about my journey with the nhs
and by the sounds of it ive been extremely lucky
i went to my gp and told her i wanted a genetic test as my sister has brca1
she immediately sent me for breast ultrasound as i had alot of pain and lumps
thankfully ive only got mastitus
from there she sent me to a genetics and after 6 months of counciling i had my test which proved i was a brca1 carrier
6months later i had my oopherectomy as a preventive
ive been offered a double masectomy with immediate reconstruction which i cancelled as im not brave enough yet
i live in northamptonshire and had my genetics and oopherectomy in oxford
thankfully for me the nhs have been fantastic and im also on a yearly breast mri scan while i decide when to have masectomy
i feel very lucky and guilty that other ladies have not been given the choices i have
keep pushing your gps its your life and your right
I felt the programme did not give a completely accurate view of breast cancer and mastectomy. I felt it gave the impression that everyone can have an immediate reconstruction following mastectomy, or that this would be what everyone would want. As someone who could not have an immediate reconstruction and has subsequently chosen not to have one, I felt the programme ignored women in the same position. I’ve already come across people (some of them on this site) who have a negative view of women who don’t opt for reconstruction. I feel this programme, whilst informative in some ways, helped to compound the view that a “real” woman will chose reconstruction. It did not even mention some of the difficulties associated with reconstructive surgery e.g additional scarring, loss of mobility, risk of rejection and I feel trivialised the procedure as if it were no more than another form of cosmetic surgery. It left me feeling uncomfortable as if reconstruction was no more difficult than having silicon implants, teeth whitening or hair extensions. Not comfortable viewing.
Geraldine
I didn’t see this progamme but just wanted to say how much I agree with Geraldine about the one sided view which is given to women about mastectomy and reconstruction. And yes, sadly this view is reinforced by some woman with breast cancer who use words such as deformity and mutilation to describe their experiences of mastectomy.
NICE guidelines say that everyone with early stage breast cancer should be given the option of reconstution but the guidelines do not also say that drawbacks of reconstruction should be explained nor the positives of not having reconstruction.
There’s a good website called breastfree.org which is very positive about mastectomy.
best wishes
Jane
Hi Jane
Thank you for the website which I shall certainly look at.
I didnt see the programme. I have had a mastectomy and note NICE guidelines that reconstruction should be discussed at the outset. I accept that some people are not suitable for immediate reconstruction (and from what I know that seems most). However I have never ever to date had any information about a reconstruction. I was just told well its a mastectomy. That was it. Not well I am afraid it’s a mastectomy but you can have a reconstruction later if you wish. The availability and information about reconstructions is patchy to say the least. There seem to be very few surgeons who are able to do reconstructions. More who can take it off but not rebuild it. I accept that the first priority is to get rid of cancer but feel that we are all paniced into making instant decisions.
Starfish
Wholeheartedly agree and if I detailed my experiences here I’d be given a red card so better keep it buttoned.
Might PM you when I get a mo’
Jane, thank you for posting that web address.
I declined a reconstruction and accept how I look with no regret.
My operation has changed my life forever, but it hasn’t crushed it.
Becky the young girl who had the preventative double masectomy, was also followed in a doco, from deciding to go for genetic testing throu to her reconstruction, called My breasts and I, have a search for this and see what you think. Again it is her personal journey but has a different outcome obviously to Dawn’s, hope you can find it x