“Dr. Smith and his team told me what I'm going to deal with, and then how it would go, including the timeline of every procedure.”

May received her breast cancer diagnosis at age 37. Although she was shocked, she was comforted by the words of a close friend who she spoke with before getting the diagnosis, “Whatever it is, be strong. You’re not going to die.”

While May had hoped a lumpectomy might be an option, her oncology team recommended a mastectomy in order to ensure the cancer didn’t return. She did not need radiation, but her treatment plan did include chemotherapy.

May’s breast surgeon referred her to Dr. Smith, and she was impressed when she learned about his charitable work. She had a good feeling about him even before their first appointment.

Dr. Smith walked May through her choices with implant reconstruction, exploring different shapes, profiles, and types of implants until they found one that was right for her. He also recommended that May have surgery on her other breast to ensure that her breasts were symmetrical after surgery.

May had a tissue expander placed at the time of her mastectomy, and the expander for her noncancerous breast was placed when she had the permanent implant placed for the first breast. She had minimal discomfort from the expanders and did not experience much pain after her breast surgery.

Throughout her breast cancer journey, May found support from her community, including friends, her mother, and her partner. She also relied on the hospital staff and her medical team for help.

“They continually asked me, "How are you? How do you feel?” I feel like I'm never alone. All the doctors, nurses, and everybody else, were very nice to me. I felt very, very comfortable.”

While May was already satisfied with her new breasts, she got the validation she needed at a girls’ trip to a hot spring. A friend who is a nurse complimented her results:

“She said, ‘Your implants look nice. This doctor really did a good job.’ When she said that, I felt so comfortable and confident.”

May’s confidence is something she’d like other women to experience after breast surgery. Not only is she happy with her results, but she also felt good about what would happen at every step of the process.