Beautiful After Breast Cancer Foundation

Prevention

Modern medicine is increasingly transitioning towards preventive care. This shift towards prevention has also been observed in breast cancer care in recent years, particularly with the discovery of the BRCA gene. Subsequently, multiple genes and risk factors have been identified. Depending on these factors, a personalized screening strategy can be chosen. Therefore, it is crucial to understand these genetic and risk factors.

Diagnosis

I was diagnosed with cancer ... This website serves as a portal designed to assist you and your loved ones in accessing personal information and finding solutions to your concerns.

The primary goal of this website is to offer guidance and support to patients as they navigate their journey toward recovery and improved quality of life. The "Diagnosis" section of our website is divided into two main categories. Firstly, under "Anatomy and Physiology," we provide fundamental knowledge about the breast. Secondly, in the "Tumors and Disorders" section, we delve deeper into various breast-related conditions.

Moreover, we aim to provide information to women who may be concerned about potential breast issues but are hesitant to seek immediate medical advice. Knowledge and information can often offer immediate reassurance if a woman is able to identify the issue herself and determine that no specific treatment is necessary. Conversely, we also strive to educate women who have received a diagnosis of a serious breast condition, such as breast cancer, and wish to approach their doctor well-informed and prepared.

Treatment

The treatment for breast cancer should immediately include a discussion about reconstruction. Our foundation has no greater goal than to raise awareness of this among patients and oncological surgeons. By making an informed decision beforehand, we avoid closing off options for later reconstruction while still considering the oncological aspect. Of course, survival is paramount, and the decision of the oncologic surgeon will always take precedence.

The "Reconstruction or not?" page contains all the information you can expect during an initial consultation before undergoing tumor removal. This page is comprehensive, and your plastic surgeon will only provide information relevant to your situation.

"Removing the tumor" details the surgical procedure itself. This is the most crucial operation because effective tumor removal remains paramount. We guide you through the various methods of removal, a decision often made by a multidisciplinary team comprising oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, radiotherapists, breast nurses, gynecologists, oncological surgeons, and plastic surgeons.

The "Breast Reconstruction" section includes information and illustrations of the different reconstruction options along with corresponding steps.

Revalidation

Those treated for cancer often need a long period to recover.

Cancer is a radical illness with a heavy treatment. Often, people have to deal with psychosocial and/or physical problems afterwards, such as stress, anxiety, extreme fatigue, painful joints, reduced fitness, lymphedema... This can have a major impact on general well-being.

There are rehabilitation programmes offered by most hospitals. We cover some of the major topics here.

Quality of life

Quality of life is a key factor in coping with breast cancer. Therefore, it is important to find coping mechanisms that work, which will be different from patient to patient. For some, it may be finding enjoyment in activities they engaged in prior to diagnosis, taking time for appreciating life and expressing gratitude, volunteering, physical exercise... Of prime importance, studies have shown that accepting the disease as a part of one’s life is a key to effective coping, as well as focusing on mental strength to allow the patient to move on with life. In this section we are addressing some topics that patients experience during and after treatment and we are providing information to address them.

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Is breast reconstruction always necessary?

Breast reconstruction is not always necessary since considerable improvements have been made in the...

These more limited resections are referred to as “breast-conserving surgery” or “breast conservative...

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Genetic and hereditary breast cancer

Family history as a risk factor for breast cancerA positive family history is the strongest predicto...

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What technique when?

Of the three tools we have at our disposal (breast implants, tissue transplants and lipofilling), th...

The proposal that you will receive is always very personalized, depending on your medical and surgic...

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Noa Goossens

Noa has been active since this year as Office & Communication Manager within the executive commi...

Noa joins the Beautiful After Breast Cancer Foundation as Office & Communication Manager, follow...

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All good things come in pairs

All good things come in pairs. Warm things, like socks and gloves (although we often end up losing o...

All good things come in pairs. Warm things, like socks and gloves (although we often end up losing o...

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Event funding

Become a lead sponsor of one of our events!
Our events around raising awareness for the topic of bre...

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Sentinel node biopsy

During surgery for removal of a malignant breast tumor, it is also possible to evaluate the axillary...

The major complications were lymphedema and chronic nerve pain in the arm. Lymphedema (inability to...

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Katrien Devalez

Katrien joined the BABC board in June 2016. Within BABC she provides general support and is responsi...

Katrien was born in 1958 and has been working at UZ Gent since 1980.She has worked in Surgery, Ortho...

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LymphAday 2025

We want to raise awareness of lymphedema, which is why we host a free information event on lymphedem...

Lymphedema is a disorder of the lymphatic system, the drainage system of our body. This chronic and...

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