Cancer patients still waiting years for breast reconstruction after COVID delays

During the height of COVID-19, hundreds of cancer patients underwent mastectomies without the breast reconstruction surgery that normally happens at the same time. Hospitals told them they would get the reconstruction later, but many are still waiting years after those promises were made.

Julie Ford is one of these women. Every time she lifts her arms to get dressed or hang laundry, she feels painful reminders of her mastectomy. Like many others, she's still waiting for the surgery that would help her feel whole again.

The emotional toll is significant. One patient described having to wear a prosthesis that constantly reminds her of her cancer journey. "I just want to feel like a woman again," she said. "Every time I put on that prosthesis, it reminds me of my cancer journey. I just want to be over it."

Research shows breast reconstruction plays a key role in helping women achieve "normal appearance" and return to "normal life" after cancer treatment. For many women, reconstruction is essential to feeling like themselves again.

The delays highlight how COVID's disruption of healthcare continues affecting patients long after lockdowns ended. Cancer survivors who already faced life-threatening illness now deal with prolonged waits for procedures that could restore their sense of self.