DiepCJourney Podcast Terri Coutee

Access to medical care for those affected by breast cancer is crucial, and often life transformative. This personal story will give emphasis to the voice of an advocate, a woman of strength, and determined to find the best care available for her during her personal journey from diagnosis to recovery from reconstructive surgery.
My guest on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast is Dana Brown, a 54-year-old wife, mother, and educator. She has been married to her best friend and soulmate for 35 years. She was intent on finding a well-qualified microsurgeon to perform her DIEP flap breast reconstruction after enduring multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation.
It turned out to be a formidable task but one she tackled head on. After researching other practices around the country, she was able to find one in her state. She found Dr. Kasia Kania to perform her breast reconstruction. Dana's voice waivers when she tells us the words Dr. Kania spoke to her at their initial consult, "I can fix that." 
Together, they wrote appeals to state insurance to obtain the best possible care for Donna. 
She is now in recovery from her successful DIEP flap with Dr. Kania. The lesson to be learned is one of perseverance and stopping at nothing until one finds the best surgeon to perform what is for many a life-changing surgery after loss of breasts due to breast cancer.
Dana’s story is not unique. There are many who must fight to gain access to care. It can be emotionally and physically exhausting but with Dana’s determination and the combined efforts and support of her family and surgeon, she made it happen. The listener will draw many lessons and tips from my guest. It was a touching interview and I value the honest account of Dana’s experience helping others.
Dana’s social media account:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdanajo/
Dr. Kasia Kania’s social media accounts and information:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkasiakania/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorplasticsurgery/
LinkedIn: Kasia Kania, MD, MPH
Facebook: Taylor Plastic Surgery
  

This is a special episode of the DiepCJourney podcast. It is one of the most touching interviews I have done to date. Originally recorded during the pandemic as a video, I searched through my audio archives hoping I might find it to repurpose the interview. Thankfully, you can now listen to the interview as a podcast. I added a special tribute at the beginning of the podcast to honor my own Father and share the intrinsic value and meaning of the necklace I wear.
Next, I honor the mentor, Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, who changed the trajectory of my work in 2016 encouraging me to open DiepCFoundation. The interview is a tribute to his own dad, the inspiration and story of why he chose microsurgery as his profession. Dr. C weaves in the history of microsurgery, riveted by the stories of soldiers during WWI and WWII that he watched on the “telly” with his dad during his childhood. You must listen to his account of Howard Gillies, the pioneering surgeon who treated facial injuries and pioneered the use of skin flaps in plastic surgery.
The pauses in his voice, the reflection in his words, parallel the ethos of my dad. These conversations in life are important to reflect upon and what brought us to choose our purpose in life. Mentors are leaders. They guide us, teach us, and counsel us. This quote from Steven Spielberg summarizes it beautifully. Thank you for being that mentor in my life Dr. C, and I feel it reflects the feeling we both have for our dads and one I am certain your children feel about you.
"The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image but giving them the opportunity to create themselves." ~ Steven Spielberg
More on the history of microsurgery:
Flap Monitoring in Breast Reconstruction and the History of the Guinea Pig Club in Plastic Surgery
Dr. Chrysopoulo social media accounts:
Instagram: https://www.istagram.com/mchrysopoulo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrChrysopoulo
LinkedIn: Minas Chrysopoulo, MD, FACS
Twitter: @drchrysopoulo
Dr. C’s FREE breast cancer health app: Breast Advocate®

Imagine a world where a specialist surgeon on one continent could be virtually transported into any operating room of another surgeon specialist, anywhere in the world, to collaborate with one another visually and practically. That is now a reality with the Proximie system, an augmented reality telehealth platform and innovation in education and global surgery.
Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram if the Founder of Proximie. She shares the story of her childhood and the events that made a lasting imprint on her memory growing up in Lebanon. She learned a lot about community, people coming together and sharing and supporting each other.
Seeing the resulting injuries of war and the effects it had on friends who experienced injuries led her to understand the importance and role of doctors. Her family had a profound influence on her trajectory into medicine, innovation and narrowing the gap in access to care. This became of great interest to Nadine as her own career in plastic surgery progressed.
We discuss the collection of knowledge in the library database of the Proximie system and the ongoing value it has in surgical education and learning. I mention to Nadine the honor I had speaking to Dr. Joe Dusseldorp and Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo about their Proximie experience during a DIEP flap procedure. It was seamless connectivity for these two surgeons and delightful to share their experience using Proximie across continents.
At the heart of this it is patients for access and quality of care. Nadine has accomplished this by reimagining the future of healthcare through the Proximie system. Our thoughts conclude the podcast sharing the importance of leaving a legacy of your work and what inspired me to invite Nadine to be interviewed on the DiepCJourney podcast. I am grateful!
Learn more about Nadine’s work and the topics I reference in the podcast:
Nadine’s Ted Talk: Digitization in Healthcare Delivery
LinkedIn: Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram FRCS (Plast), BEM
Instagram: drnadz_j
Instagram: Proximie
Democratization in Microsurgery: The Proximie System with Dr. Joe Dusseldorp and Minas Chrysopoulo, MD, FACS
 

Are you feeling anxious or confused about what to eat if you have had or currently have breast cancer? My returning guest on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast is Cathy Leman. She is a dietician, nutrition therapist, and a certified personal trainer, who herself has had hormone positive breast cancer.
Cathy developed the Peaceful Plate, a nutrition education and coaching program. She shares her personal experience being diagnosed with breast cancer.
We are discussing how to mange the anxiety that can plague many who have had breast cancer and what to put in our bodies in the form of food to optimize our health. We will chat about the food choices we can make to maintain a healthy lifestyle just as exercise choices are made to maintain our health.
Cathy dives into reasons for emotional eating, weight gain from breast cancer treatment, questions around soy consumption, how much protein we should consider consuming and what healthy protein options there are.
She shares portion control amounts, and we discuss how much fiber we should consider consuming per day. Cathy and I discuss realistic expectations regarding exercise for those in treatment and post treatment in survivorship. Movement in all forms is the key adjusted accordingly to your current health status. We hope this episode will encourage and inspire you to enjoy what you eat before, during, and after breast cancer!
Podcast Episode with Cathy: Episode 23: Dietitian and Coach for Breast Cancer Survivors
Cathy Leman Social Media Accounts:
Instagram: Cathy Leman Hormone Breast Cancer Dietitian
Facebook: The Peaceful Plate
LinkedIn: Cathy Leman, MA, RD, NSCA-CPT

Have you searched endlessly for days and weeks for a microsurgeon to perform breast reconstruction? Access to care is a real concern for patients who are affected by breast cancer. Finding a plastic surgeon who specializes in tissue reconstruction in the area you live in is not always a service afforded to all patients. Traveling for breast reconstruction is not out of the ordinary. It was something I did myself for my DIEP flap.
I want to bring awareness to microsurgical services in various geographic areas and interview surgeons to help patients who are looking for a reconstructive surgeon. I am introducing a new surgeon to our listeners. I hope this helps streamline the time you are taking during an already challenging time in your life.
Dr. Sarosh Zafar is a double board-certified microsurgeon in plastic and reconstructive surgery and general surgery. She specializes in the most advanced methods of breast reconstruction, complex reconstruction, and microsurgery. Dr. Zafar joined the team of pioneering surgeons at (CRBS) the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery and the St. Charles Surgical Hospital in 2021. She practices in the state of Louisianna but takes patients from across the U.S. and the world.
Dr. Zafar shares why she chose the field of plastic and reconstructive breast surgery. She tells us the services provided at CRBS highlighting the value of the co-surgeon model in breast reconstruction surgery. Dr. Zafar shares the pathways to find her services both at CRBS and IFAR (Institute for Advanced Reconstruction), part of the Advanced Reconstructive Surgery Alliance (ARSA) network of surgeons.
Her compassionate comment at the end of the podcast will benefit patients listening.
“If patients have any questions, never hesitate. That would be my number one message. Always ask. Always ask us for clarification. It can be a very confusing, intimidating process, but that’s what we’re here for to help figure everything out and help you get the best outcome that we can.”
Links to find Dr. Sarosh Zafar:
Center for Restorative Breast Surgery (CBRS)
The Institute for Advanced Reconstruction (IFAR)
(IFAR) Patient Portal to Schedule an appointment: tel:1-833-887-2417
Social Media Links for Dr. Sarosh Zafar:
Dr. Sarosh Zafar: LinkedIn
Facebook: Center for Restorative Breast Surgery
Instagram: Breast Center NOLA



 

I have been fortunate to have discussions with surgeons in the U.S. on lymphedema. This is a topic I feel should be discussed with international surgeons as well. As part of my work with DiepCFoundation I am fortunate to meet surgeons from around the world at various plastic and microsurgical conferences. I will be talking to one of these microsurgeons on the DiepCJourney podcast. We need to know all we can about lymphedema, lymphedema surgery, how microsurgeons across the world are treating breast cancer patients for this condition, and so, this is our topic of discussion from a guest in London, in the United Kingdom.
Ms. Maleeha Mughal is a Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon at Guy's & St. Thomas Hospital. She specializes in Breast cancer reconstruction, Head and Neck cancer reconstruction and lymphedema surgery. 
Ms. Mughal shares a personal story and why she made the decision to choose plastic reconstructive surgery as her profession. She describes the type of lymphedema she treats, the type related to cancer.
We discuss the causes, treatment, and surgical options for a condition that is not curable but treatable. One of the most important points in our discussion is early treatment and what symptoms to watch for. The sooner lymphedema is treated, the better the management of the conditions related to lymphedema. Lymphedema can affect a person's quality of life and ability to perform daily tasks and work.
Links to Important Resources and Ms. Mughal’s LinkedIn Account.
British Lymphology Society
Breast Cancer Now: A Research and Support Charity in the UK
Ms. Maleeha Mughal: LinkedIn