Episode 32: Patient Advocate, Storyteller, and Lobular Breast Cancer Survivor
Release Date: 05/10/2023
Episode 67: The Role of Social Media in the Breast Cancer Community
DiepCJourney Podcast
What is it about social media that draws the breast cancer community together? We are going to explore this question with my guest, , consultant breast cancer surgeon and medical educator on social media under the name, @DrTashaG. We will look at the benefits, downfalls, information, and disinformation provided by various social media platforms on this episode of the . How can you find the right community that supports both your emotional and educational needs when each person is unique and there are distinct types of breast cancer? Why is it important for physicians to interact and be active...
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Episode 66: Wildfire Community: The Power of Story Telling in Breast Cancer
DiepCJourney Podcast
In this episode of the I interview . She is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of . April has an extensive background in writing and landed her first memoir-based magazine cover story at 16. She worked for her college newspaper and then the local newspaper in Santa Cruz, The Sentinel, following graduation. During the tech boom of the early 2000s April worked “over the hill” from Santa Cruz in Silicon Valley. However, in 2012, in the midst of this career, April was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer at age 35. Four years later, while struggling to “go back to normal” and find others in...
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Episode 65: Breast Reconstruction at Tucson Plastic Surgery
DiepCJourney Podcast
Are you aware of the value of the two-surgeon model in reconstructive microsurgery? Have you heard about the benefits to patients of ERAS (Enhanced Recovery after Surgery) protocol? I spoke with two board-certified plastic reconstructive surgeons who practice at to answer these questions and others on this episode of the . My guests are and . They met at the , a well-known yearly gathering of microsurgical specialists from around the world who present the latest techniques in flap surgeries. Their combined training in breast reconstruction microsurgery and aesthetic plastic surgery offers...
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Episode 64: Microsurgery and Fat Grafting in Breast Reconstruction
DiepCJourney Podcast
When you think about breast reconstruction do you only think about breast implants? If so, it is because many people are still choosing this option for reconstructing their breast after mastectomy. However, there are options. Using your own tissue is an option and the tissue, along with a blood source, can come from various parts of the body. Fat grafting to shape and form the breast is also an option many ask about but not all know about. This is our topic on this episode of the . My guest, , is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon practicing in Hopewell, New Jersey at the ....
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Episode 63: Sensation and Sensibility in Breast Reconstruction
DiepCJourney Podcast
Breast sensation, “sensibility,” is a topic I personally cannot talk enough about. Breast cancer patients want to be protected from burns. They want to feel the hugs from their children, grandchildren, partners, friends, and family. Sensibility refers to awareness, emotional response, and feeling so it makes perfect sense to use this word in our conversation on this episode of the . To be honest, the feeling of numbness that many feel after a mastectomy just feels odd. I speak from experience, and I listen to other survivors who tell me this. It felt odd for me, but I was fortunate to have...
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Episode 62: Flap Neurotization in Autologous Breast Reconstruction - A Systematic Review
DiepCJourney Podcast
This edition of the highlights a recently published paper in , an International Journal of Surgical Reconstruction. The title of the paper is: To our listeners, who may be patients, surgeons, or medical professionals we are going to explore the elements and details of this research paper and how it can be of benefit to you. I am pleased to have two returning guests who have collaborated across continents from Australia to the U.S. sharing their combined microsurgical skills to improve patient outcomes in sensate breasts. is an author of the paper and an internationally trained microsurgeon...
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Episode 61: Microsurgery, Lymphedema, Neurotized Breasts, and Robotics
DiepCJourney Podcast
In this episode of the I am joined by another podcaster. What I am most excited about is that he is one of our international guests this year. We have known each other for some time. Not trying to age either one of us but I have enjoyed knowing him, having robust conversations, and learning so much about the world of plastic surgery and microsurgery from him. We will talk about these topics in the podcast in a cross-continental discussion with my guest . Notice I said, “Mister.” That is because he is a well-respected microsurgeon in the UK and rather than Dr. as we refer to physicians in...
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Episode 60: Credibility in the Noise - Social Media, Breast Reconstruction, and Your Experience
DiepCJourney Podcast
Consider a young person who has been newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Add to the mix they are facing a mastectomy and exploring options for breast reconstruction. Let’s say they are someone who has grown up in the world of social media. The question arises, where do they connect and get their credible information? Breast reconstruction is a complex decisional process. Do they use a platform like TikTok based in thirty second increments or a more community-based platform like Meta/Facebook where patients can engage in more of a discussion about what they are facing after a horrible...
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Episode 59: A Breast Cancer Patient Intent on Finding Access to a DIEP Flap Surgeon
DiepCJourney Podcast
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 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...
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Special Episode 58: Fathers, Mentors, and Microsurgery
DiepCJourney Podcast
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 , 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, , who changed the trajectory of my work in 2016 encouraging me to open . The interview is a tribute to his own...
info_outlineMegan-Claire Chase is a breast cancer survivor who deals with a lot of effects from treatment and being diagnosed with lobular breast cancer at a very young age. But she excitedly begins our conversation by saying her pain melted away at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium when she was able to meet patient advocates in person for the first time. Social media connects many of us but the conference we both attended in early December of 2023 allowed us to sit down together to share intimate conversations, ask each other how we are doing, and share our advocacy work. I was fortunate to be one of those advocates to finally meet her in person at the meeting.
Megan-Claire experienced strange symptoms for about two years that were left without a diagnosis. Her mother had ovarian cancer when she was pregnant with Megan-Claire. She states she felt this made her a miracle baby for her parents. Megan-Claire felt certain at some point in her lifetime she would get cancer because she has a strong history in her family. Because of this she was able to get a mammogram at age thirty-five and have it covered by insurance.
Being hyper aware of her body due to family history of cancer, the signs she saw were concerning. She noticed tiny green bruising on her legs, weight gain, loss of hair on the left side of her head, and a “zit” on the outside of her left breast. She knew something was not right. Megan-Claire shares with us she would like the medical community to be more aware that black women and other women of color will present with different symptoms that her white counterparts.
This leads us to a more in-depth conversation on health disparities, implicit biases in breast cancer care and what Megan-Claire accomplishes in her community and advocacy work to improve the communication between the patient and physician. Megan-Claire will be participating in a community event to connect patients and provide these resources June 15-21 of 2023.
The event and other ways to join Megan-Claire on social media can be found here.
National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week started by the FDA through the Oncology Center of Excellence.
Megan-Claire’s Linked Account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-claire-chase/
Breast Cancer Program Director: Share Cancer Support