Opinion: The Importance of Post-Mastectomy Services in Bay County

Related to any surgery, but specifically addressing breast cancer interventions, there can be complications with lymph nodes. In some cases, surgically disturbed lymph nodes may fail to properly circulate lymphatic fluid, causing painful swelling in the nearest extremity, typically the arm. Anti-lymphoedema counseling (including exercise, lifting cautions, and therapies) by the post mastectomy fitter is a service frequently ignored by physicians with sometimes tragic, lifetime results. 

Real caring for the community, a real community outreach, in my opinion, would be for an oncological-based company to offer post-mastectomy services here in Bay. What a boon to the already exhausted patient and family involved! What a kindness!

Since we no longer have a branch of the American Cancer Society available as a resource, consider what having a Certified Mastectomy Fitter in Bay County would do. A certified mastectomy fitter is a professional who would measure patients, fit, dispense, and adjust external breast prostheses, bras, related supplies and connect patients with additional services. They train to provide breast prosthesis and other post-mastectomy services. An ABC Certified Fitter-mastectomy (CFm) is a healthcare professional specifically educated and trained in the provision of breast prostheses and post-mastectomy items and services. Statistics reveal that 1:8 women have been or will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Men are not excluded either though they represent 1%± of the diagnosed population, and through a referral process to a CFm, they would receive the post-op cautioning against lymphoedema. We’re talking about quality-of-life issues here. So why don’t we have a CFm? 

Well, we used to have a kind, service-minded professional pre- and post-Hurricane Michael and then life happened. So, you might ask, “why hasn’t this person been replaced?” Is it that we don’t have enough breast cancer patients in Bay County? Is it that there is no room in any of the facilities treating breast cancer with surgical intervention, chemotherapy or radiation? The answer, of course, to both questions is a resounding “NO!”

The issue is reportedly MONEY and all fingers point toward insurance companies not compensating providers proportionately. So, providers choose to not find the 2000± square feet to house the drawers for bra and prosthetic storage and a desk, phone, and office chair for an CFm. Privacy, while partially disrobing, could be provided with a ceiling-hung curtain or room screen in one corner of the same area with the employee stepping out momentarily.

In the meantime, Every woman or man of any age in Bay County, who is post-mastectomy or lumpectomy and in need of augmentation while awaiting reconstruction or just wanting to avoid ugly stares or to have their clothes to fit properly, is forced by default to obtain professional services in Tallahassee. OR, here’s the really sad part, brand new semi- or wholly-breastless patients are forced to shop online guessing at the correct bra and prosthetic size and shape. (Yes, there’s more than one shape of breast.) And, to add insult to the emotional and physical injury already incurred, the patient or their advocate is forced to do their own insurance billing!

It should be noted, however, that when one does contact the fitter at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, and does decide to make the 2-hour drive, the services are wonderfully comforting and a welcome relief to the absence here locally. Once fitted, Medicare-aged patients can phone in their needs every 6 months unless they have a drastic change, e.g. their weight.

SHAME on our local medical community for profiting from so many breast cancer patients and then dropping them in the abyss of no local post-surgical services! What happened to the idea of ‘first do no harm’? What happened to treating breast cancer survivors with humanity and kindness? I guess the late, irreverent comedian George Carlin was correct in asserting that “business ethics is an oxymoron.” Yes, folks, medicine, specifically that which makes breast cancer survival for men and women 99% if detected early, is a business, first and foremost. So, then, the presumption is, providers don’t have to really care, just give the appearance of caring while it makes them money because of what the insurance companies dictate.

What can you do? Take action. Carry a sign. Make a bumper sticker. Talk to your doctors and other medical providers. Write to your insurance companies. And, lastly, contact your state and national senators and representatives. Tell them of this omission, this human services travesty, this one-more-thing-that-Bay-County-lacks. Express yourself to those decision makers who may be able to help save you gas, time, postage, and emotional exhaustion.

Let’s move forward together to build on what exists to better serve Bay County residents and those in nearby counties who also depend on them. Hopefully, a centrally located selection for post-mastectomy counseling and fitting will be made.

Oncological providers, consider this your latest marketing ploy for "a One Stop Shop" to cancer patients and survivors for your cancer services.

This opinion is written and expressed by Sue Heh Trueman, a 34-year-breast cancer survivor who received all of these services seamlessly--and more--different place, different time.

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