Luana Scanlan-Himalaya feels as if
her life was dramatically improved by
breast reconstruction.
“Breast cancer care is very important but if you don’t give
patients reconstruction options, you’re not finishing what you
started,” Dr. Helen Hui-Chou said. As a highly skilled, board
certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Pali Momi Medical
Center and the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, Dr. Hui-Chou
is extremely passionate about breast reconstruction.
Dr. Hui-Chou’s sentiments echo the
message of the national Breast Recon-
struction Awareness campaign and its
October BRA Day celebrations, which
also promote a breast cancer ribbon
image with its loop closed. The
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
is working to make reconstruction an
essential part of the treatment process
for breast cancer patients so they are
aware of all of the options through their
journey to recovery and survivorship.
It is crucial for a medical center to
provide those connections between
plastic surgeons and general surgeons
by having a multi-disciplinary team work
together to provide comprehensive care
for each patient. Dr. Hui-Chou collabo-
rates with various surgical oncologists
at Hawai‘i Pacific Health to determine
the best treatment plan for each
individual patient.
However, many patients often don’t
know that health insurance covers breast
reconstruction for both breasts, even
if only one is diagnosed with cancer.
There’s also no time limit. Patients can
undergo breast reconstruction when
they feel ready, whether that’s months
or years later.
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“It made me whole again,” Luana said.
“I feel like a new woman.”
A cancer diagnosis in 2013 caught Luana
by surprise after a regular mammogram
discovered a mass in her right breast.
“It was hard to hear,” Luana said. “I’m
like ‘No, you must have someone else’s
test results. It can’t be me.’”
From that point, the Kapolei mother
of four went through test after test, a
biopsy and several operations. Besides
her breast, doctors found cancer in
her lymph nodes under her arm. Luana
chose to get a lumpectomy and under-
go intense chemotherapy and radiation.
Luana Scanlan-Himalaya
The big part of this new insight for
women is sometimes overcoming the
perception of plastic surgery. Gone
are the days of procedures being
about surgically enhancing yourself,
it’s more about a healing process in
different areas.
“The majority of plastic surgeons are
rebuilding something that has become
abnormal,” Dr. Hui-Chou said. “Whether
it’s a dog bite, car accident or cancer,
it’s just trying to help patients rebuild
their lives.”
After her treatment, Luana was cleared
of cancer and in remission. Shortly after
that, her right breast started to get en-
gorged, red and hot on a regular basis.
She worried that the cancer was back,
but tests showed no cancer. The painful
symptoms continued for two years along
with fevers and flu symptoms.
Luana went to visit Dr. Hui-Chou at a
time when her right breast was hurting
again. Dr. Hui-Chou explained that
the symptoms she experienced were
similar to others with side effects from
radiation treatment.
After reviewing her breast reconstruction
options, Luana chose DIEP flap surgery.
This is a reconstructive procedure in
which blood vessels, called deep inferior
epigastric perforators (DIEP), as well as
the skin and fat connected to them, are
harvested from the lower abdomen and