Like most writers, Susannah Fulcher is an insatiably curious and meticulous researcher. Just a few years ago, she found herself using these skills to find a solution to the pain and discomfort she was experiencing from her post-mastectomy implants. During her breast cancer treatment at another hospital, she'd learned about an alternative to implants—the DIEP Flap procedure, which uses stomach tissue to reconstruct the breast. The procedure sounded promising, but Susannah was told she didn't have enough stomach tissue to undergo the procedure.
Undeterred, the Wellfleet resident cast a wide net, poring over doctor profiles, articles and patient testimonials to find a team who could help. All the work paid off when she discovered Sarah Persing, MD, MPH and the team at Tufts Medical Center.
Susannah knew she was in the right place from her first meeting with Dr. Persing. "I felt that these were my doctors from the first appointment. I wanted to work with a woman and Dr. Persing was warm and knowledgeable. I had a lot of questions and she answered them all. I walked out of the appointment and I felt very comfortable with my decision. The team works so well together—it's like a family."
Dr. Persing and fellow microsurgeon, Christopher Homsy, MD, removed Susannah's bilateral breast implants and re-created her breasts using her own tissue from her abdomen using the DIEP Flap procedure. Susannah was thrilled with the results—natural-looking breasts with none of the discomfort she had experienced with her previous implants.
"The difference is palpable—I've had ten different surgeries and never an experience like I had at Tufts Medical Center. They were meticulous, the results are beautiful and you can tell how much everyone cares. They gave me my body back, they made me whole."
For more about breast reconstruction options, please contact the Tufts Medical Center Breast Health Center at 617.636.6575.
