Each year, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Gift of Life Michigan recognizes Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day. The goal of BRA Day is to increase awareness regarding the range of choices available to women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
A significant percentage of breast reconstructions after mastectomy would not be possible without deceased donor tissue. Sue Pilon is one of those women whose reconstruction was made possible thanks to a generous donor. When she was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, using donor tissue in breast reconstruction was still relatively new.
“The next day after my surgery, I walked out of the hospital cancer-free and with my reconstruction relatively complete,” Sue said.
The ease of her reconstruction was a huge gift for Sue, who knew many women who had been through mastectomies to treat breast cancer, including her mother.
“My mother went into the surgery not knowing she would wake up with one breast missing,” she said. “There was no thought back then to reconstruction. There were no options.”
Sue’s mother was fitted with a prosthetic for the remainder of her life. It was uncomfortable and impacted what she wore.
“I never saw my mother wear a swimsuit again,” Sue said. “She was a clothes horse, always wore beautiful clothes, and this altered what she wore. She wasn’t negative about it, but I thought it made her feel different.”
Thankfully, through research advancements, early detection and tissue donation for reconstruction, Sue’s confidence wasn’t impacted by mastectomy like her mother’s was.
“If I could speak to my donor now, I’d say thank you for this amazing gift,” Sue said. “While it wasn’t lifesaving like a heart or a lung, it was certainly life-altering and life-affirming. My recovery was quick and amazing; overcoming the disease was nothing short of a miracle. I will always be grateful for that.”
In the years since her breast reconstruction, Sue has worked with Gift of Life Michigan to advocate for tissue donation. She’s also given many presentations on the importance of regular checkups and early detection in the treatment of breast cancer.
Tissue donation eliminates the need for unnecessary suffering, long waits, and subpar medical alternatives. More than 1.5 million Americans receive a tissue donation graft each year. When you join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry, you’re also registering as a tissue and eye donor. To register, visit golm.org/register.
