A BREAST cancer survivor who endured lengthy delays while waiting for reconstruction surgery says the results are beyond her wildest hopes.

Karen Rogers, 57, from Magor, had her surgery postponed three times earlier this year but has now had an autologous breast reconstruction, a procedure to rebuild the breast after mastectomy using tissue from another part of the body, at Morriston Hospital.

The surgery proved to be such a success that Karen now finds it hard to believe she had breast cancer and that she now looks ‘entirely normal.”

It’s a great result to a frustrating few years after Karen was among the hundreds of patients facing a long wait for reconstruction surgery amid the Covid pandemic’s delays.

Karen finally had her surgery this summer and is now on the road to recovery.

Karen said: “I feel in a way as if I’ve never had cancer. I don’t think anyone could feel any better than that.

“The neatness is beyond my wildest hopes, and I’d just like to thank my surgeon at Morriston Hospital, Mr Muhammad Umair Javed plus all the staff involved.

“Perhaps in hindsight, it’s not such a bad thing I had so many delays and complications because the end result is so fantastic.”

Karen’s surgery had already been pushed back several times before the three postponements earlier this year.

She originally had it delayed until after her cancer treatment had been completed following a left mastectomy in 2016, only to then be told she needed stomach surgery, and then the pandemic struck. Other delays included staff strikes and concerns over her white blood cell counts.

She had worn a prosthetic for six and a half years, either stuck to her skin or in a pocket of special bras.

Ms Rogers didn’t tell anyone about the surgery as she was keen to ensure it went ahead.

“It had been such a long time. But in the end, to have people like Mr Javed and his team working in Wales; we are so lucky. I was told everything as I went along about things that could potentially go wrong. It was so honest and up front.

“I also had a breast reduction done at the same time. I was told that would only happen if everything went according to plan during the surgery.

“It didn’t go to plan, it went on for quite a lot longer than expected but Mr Javed went ahead with the reduction anyway, which has saved me having to go back in for another operation and more delay.

“I haven’t had a ceremonial burning of my false boobs as yet; I will wait a little while longer before I do that.”

Now, she is looking forward to getting back to doing the things she enjoys, having previously felt too self-conscious to do so.

Ms Rogers is hoping to do her bit to support other patients after her own positive experiences by speaking at a Breast Reconstruction Evening at Morriston Hospital on October 13. 

For more details about the evening and to reserve a place, email Julia.Warwick@wales.nhs.uk