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Episode 60: Credibility in the Noise - Social Media, Breast Reconstruction, and Your Experience

DiepCJourney Podcast

Release Date: 07/03/2024

Episode 70: The Gift of Patient Advocate Wisdom show art Episode 70: The Gift of Patient Advocate Wisdom

DiepCJourney Podcast

This episode of the is our final edition in 2024. I share a discussion across continents with two women leaders I admire who engage in patient advocacy and the patient story. is well known for “” a platform where she gathers writers and bloggers sharing their stories across social media platforms. Her journey in patient advocacy began twenty years ago with a diagnosis of breast cancer. Marie poignantly tells us in the interview that, "We find when we are diagnosed with a serious illness, something is missing. We look around and see who can fix this. I discovered the person who could fix...

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Episode 69: A Decade of Collaboration: Celebrating a Mentor show art Episode 69: A Decade of Collaboration: Celebrating a Mentor

DiepCJourney Podcast

Ten years ago, on December 1, 2014, I was in the trusted hands of a skilled microsurgeon who took tissue from my tummy area along with the skin and blood vessels, and rebuilt what cancer had taken away from me. I lost my breasts to a double mastectomy. For those of us who have been affected by breast cancer, a mastectomy is an amputation. The skilled microsurgeon is my guest on this episode of the . , president of in San Antonio, Texas, reconstructed my breasts using the training, skill, and compassion that makes him who he is as a breast reconstruction surgeon and is one of the finest human...

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Episode 68: Pathways to Care Due to Secondary Issues from Breast Cancer Treatment show art Episode 68: Pathways to Care Due to Secondary Issues from Breast Cancer Treatment

DiepCJourney Podcast

Solutions often begin with a conversation. When faced with the task of planning your surgery, it is the goal of the to provide for those affected by breast cancer. My guest is , an international expert in advanced reconstruction and a highly skilled microsurgeon. Dr. Elkwood is the founder of The Plastic Surgery Center and in New Jersey. You can also visit or call 954-218-5137 to schedule a consultation with a surgeon on these advanced and specialty conditions. The surgeons in the IFAR network perform breast reconstruction surgery due to loss of breast after mastectomy from breast...

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Episode 67: The Role of Social Media in the Breast Cancer Community show art 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 show art 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 show art 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 show art 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 show art 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 show art 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 show art 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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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 diagnosis? What are other platforms being utilized?

It is our topic of discussion on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast with my guest, Dr. Andrew Gassman, a board-certified microsurgeon who sees this population of women in his practice each day. He collaborates with a team of microsurgical specialists at PRMA in San Antonio, Texas. Their primary practice focuses on those affected by breast cancer, are facing mastectomy, and are exploring options for breast reconstruction. PRMA practices the co-surgeon model where each patient has two skilled microsurgeons in the OR for their autologous breast reconstruction surgery.

We ask our listeners to share the platform they use to find credible information on social media when newly diagnosed and considering breast reconstruction. Please share your comments after listening to the podcast. We do not feel that one platform or channel is more important than another. It is our aim to share our thoughts, but we want to hear from you. We honor your choice in social media selection.

Another way of sharing your thoughts with us is by reaching out on either one of our social media accounts.

Dr. Gassman Social Media Accounts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.andrewgassman

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gassman_ps/

Terri Coutee Social Media for DiepCFoundation:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diepCfoundation.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diepcfoundation/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/6state

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terricoutee/