Heroes And Hopes For Breast Cancer Patients

October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month educates, encourages and raises funds for the estimated 197,000 American women diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Breast removal has a devastating effect on self-esteem, leaving thousands of breast cancer survivors to struggle with emotional challenges regarding how they look and feel following a mastectomy. Although reconstructive breast surgery dramatically helps a woman restore self-confidence and diverts attention away from a traumatic mastectomy, breast cancer survivors face yet another challenge: covering the cost of surgery. Each year, thousands of women across the country are denied insurance coverage for a procedure that dramatically improves self-esteem and state of mind after losing a breast to cancer.

With the growing number of health insurance denials, Michael F. McGuire, M.D., of Santa Monica, California, petitioned state legislators to pass a new law defining the term "reconstructive surgery," specifically in reference to post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. Before the new legislation, cancer survivors and insurers debated whether insurance should cover breast reconstruction surgery. In many cases, the procedure was considered "cosmetic."

As a result, a law was passed in California (Assembly Bill #1621) which better defined reconstructive surgery (specifically in relation to post-mastectomy breast reconstruction), qualifying those women to have necessary breast surgery and other reconstructive procedures. The bill clarifies the long-running dispute which puzzled patients, doctors and insurance carriers as to what stage of surgical treatment is deemed reconstructive vs. cosmetic. Recently, a similar bill made its way to federal platforms and was passed on a national level by Congress.

The new laws were considered a tremendous victory for many breast cancer survivors. However, even though new state and federal laws mandate that breast reconstruction will be covered to some degree by insurance providers, there is still an immediate need to assist thousands of women who do not have, cannot afford or do not qualify for state-funded health insurance programs.

Reacting to this widespread and increasing need, the Foundation for Surgical Reconstruction in Santa Monica, California, was established 3 years ago to offer hope and improve quality of life through reconstructive surgery. The foundation makes post-mastectomy breast reconstruction a more realistic possibility for frustrated patients who do not qualify for state aid and cannot afford insurance. The donations of time and money from various foundations, corporations and individuals have contributed tremendously toward the program's success, part of which can now be attributed to pro-bono post-mastectomy breast reconstruction, a motivational step for women to win their fight against breast cancer.

Launched in 1997 by Dr. McGuire, the Foundation for Surgical Reconstruction intends to increase the number of surgical procedures as funding continues to support its ability to become an even larger operation. According to Dr. McGuire, the goal of the foundation is to help as many people as possible and serve as a model for similar partnerships across the country. For more information about the Foundation for Surgical Reconstruction, call (310) 315-9554.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Aerobics and Fitness Association of America
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group