Plenary 5

Body Image after Breast Cancer Treatment: Survivor’s Perspective

 Ranjit Kaur

Malaysia

16th RRI Conference

Taipei, 12 November 2011

Body Image

How we think and feel about our body and the way we see

ourselves is known as our body image.

Our body image changes constantly throughout our life and

illness can affect how we feel and may prompt feelings that

affect self-confidence.

Body image problems - associated with:

- Mastectomy / Lumpectomy and Scar / Reconstruction

- Partner's difficulty understanding one's feelings

- Hair loss from chemotherapy

- Sexual functioning

- Weight gain or weight loss

- Poorer mental health

- Lymphoedema

- Lower self-esteem

- Poor posture

Implications of Body Image Issues

• How we feel about ourselves

• The fear of how others will perceive our altered body image

• Our relationships with loved ones

• Our relationships with society

“Every time someone looks at me I imagine that they are

looking at my uneven breasts”

“Everyone is mindful and conscious that I am one

breast less, except my pet cat which still finds the comfort

in the spot where my left breast used to be?”

Mastectomy – A Loss

Mastectomy – A Loss

“I mourned the loss of my breast. I was grieving the death

of a very important part of my body. Even reconstruction

will not bring back my breast.”

“I opted for mastectomy because I had had calcification in

that breast previously. It's not a worry to me to lose it. And

so I decided on that.

But again, it doesn't worry me one way or the other. And I

certainly don't want to be reconstructed.”

Mastectomy – No Big Deal

Bilateral Mastectomy

“Breasts do not define a woman and they do not define you

as a person. I am still me, my character did not change,

nothing changed except my physical appearance which to

me I have never looked better in my opinion. It's funny how

as a society we have become so fixated on our looks.”

Bilateral Mastectomy

“I was not really upset when I had my breasts removed. I

knew that I was getting rid of something that just was not

working for me. Why keep something that just keeps

giving you problems. If you think about it, it's just skin

and tissue. I might be more upset if I had to get rid of an

arm or a leg.”

Addressing these problems can improve QOL

- Mastectomy / lumpectomy and possible reconstruction

- Hair loss from chemotherapy

- Partner's difficulty understanding one's feelings

- Sexual functioning

- Weight gain or weight loss

- Poorer mental health

- Lower self-esteem

Communication

• The woman may be concerned about how her partner sees her and she may make assumptions about how her partner feels.

• Sharing feelings with her partner – may be awkward but necessary

• Being honest & talking openly

• The partner can then be responsive to her needs.

References

1. www.breastcancercare.co.uk

1. Fobair, et al. 2006. Body image and sexual problems in young women with breast cancer. Psychooncology 2006 Jul: 15(7):579-94 Stanford University, USA.

2. www.healthtalkonline.org

3. www.breastcancer.org.my

Breast Cancer Welfare Association MalaysiaBCWA

5th Floor Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah16 Jalan Utara, 46200 Petaling Jaya Tel: 03 79540133 Fax: 03 79540122

www.breastcancer.org.my

ranjit@breastcancer.org.my