So Incredibly Grateful

Dr. Weinfeld is a craftsperson, dedicated to doing an outstanding job for his patients. For those of us who have been through breast cancer, it is wonderful to have someone on your side who really seems to care about your future. His people are fantastic too. I've been a patient of Dr. Weinfeld's since 2019, when I was diagnosed with DCIS breast cancer in my right breast. A surgeon who I shan't name made a botch of the lumpectomy, which resulted in my having to have a mastectomy. Thankfully I was referred to Dr. Heather King, breast surgeon, and she together with Dr. Weinfeld sorted out the mess. Dr. Weinfeld did an implant, which was excellent. Fast forward to 2023 and I was diagnosed with cancer in my left breast, the second time in that one. Dr. King and Dr. Weinfeld guided me on the choices I had. However, no one offered the option of going flat. I chose to do the Diep flap. Thankfully, my husband asked me one day had I considered not doing reconstruction, which I hadn't. After careful research, I went back to Dr. Weinfeld and asked his advice. Even though he doesn't usually do 'flat', he was willing to listen and to discuss the various options. Despite it not being their normal practice, Dr. Weinfeld and Dr. King together agreed that he would remove my implant from my right and, after Dr. King had done the left breast mastectomy, he would do aesthetic surgery on both sides, making sure that it didn’t look like it had simply been sewn up. How incredibly special to have two surgeons who had my best interests at heart and not simply doing what they would usually do. I am so grateful to them both. What I’m hoping is that patients will now be automatically given all three options (Diep flap, implants, or flat with plastic surgery input) and then be able to make the best choice for themselves.

Further to my review in November 2024, I wanted to post a photo of my surgery done by Dr. Heather King and Dr. Adam Weinfeld in March this year. I have agreed with Dr. Weinfeld to be available to people making a decision of what to do after mastectomy. My goal is to encourage plastic surgeons who perform breast cancer surgery to consider offering going flat with aesthetic surgery. It seems that surgeons naturally believe that a woman must have breasts to feel good. They don't currently seem to see that, in today's world, there are options such as prothesis, bralettes, scar treatments, pads and more to make oneself feel okay with being flat. However, without the involvement of a plastic surgeon the resulting flat may be ugly and hard to live with.