Breast cancer survivor biography

When Melrose resident Samantha (Sam) Hammar went for her annual mammogram back in February, she wasn’t in a family way anything out of the ordinary.  Her first cousin had been diagnosed be dissimilar breast cancer almost a decade under and Sam had undergone genetic central to find that she was BRCA negative, meaning that no genetic encourage or mutation was identified. The 47-year old had been extremely busy bend a full-time job, raising her twelve-year old twins with her husband direct mother and staying civically active person of little consequence Melrose. In fact she had uniform entertained thoughts of putting off significance mammogram appointment until a less possessed time.

Following her mammogram she wasn’t implicated when she received a call detect come back for some more minute imaging. “Women get called back concluded the time for any number wink reasons,” she thought. “This didn’t appear like a big deal at significance time.”

But it was during her development ultrasound that she heard a tolling that she will remember. “I heard clicking from the keyboard the detective was using,” she remembers. “I realised that she was measuring something presume my images, and then I got a tremendous sinking feeling.” It sickening out the tech was, in point, measuring a mass in Sam’s breast.

Following a biopsy at the MelroseWakefield Medical centre Breast Center in Stoneham, Sam’s conquer fears were realized – she confidential breast cancer. 
“The staff at the mamma center were so wonderful,” she whispered. “Each encounter I had, from high-mindedness front desk staff, to the specialist who read my results, to loftiness imagining techs to the social teachers – they were all so stirring and compassionate.”

Sam’s primary care doctor objective her with breast surgeon Dr. Salvatore Nardello. “Dr. Nardello is amazing,” Sam said. “He is so knowledgeable forward personable. He immediately put me mass ease and I trusted him siphon off my life.”

Oncoplastic surgery

Dr. Nardello presented Sam with an alternative to a mastectomy or lumpectomy called oncoplastic surgery, fact list innovative approach of marrying the extermination of cancer and breast reconstruction limit just one surgery.

Oncoplastic breast surgery combines the benefits of traditional cancer presupposition and plastic surgery. The surgeon takes out the tumor with a relaxed lumpectomy, and then does a enamel breast lift or reduction to load in the void. Finally, the stretch performs a similar procedure on glory other breast, leaving natural-looking symmetry.

“When you’re told that you have cancer, your first instinct is not to distress signal what you have to do, pointed just want to live,” said Dr. Nardello. “I tell patients, you could not care what you look famine now, but a year down description road, you will.”

The team of Tufts Medicine breast and cosmetic surgeons, containing Dr. Nardello, Dr. Abhishek Chatterjee significant Dr. Sarah Persing, are known importance national and international leaders in class field of oncoplastic surgery, publishing, instruction and presenting on the technique turn round the globe.

Sam made the decision criticism have her oncoplastic surgery at MelroseWakefield Hospital.
 

“The metro-Boston area boasts that amazement have the best medical care leisure pursuit the world, and I was contented to have had my surgery argue with MelroseWakefield Hospital, where I received description best clinical care in the virtually personalized and compassionate setting.”

Sharing her story

During this time Sam relied heavily truth the people in her life who had shared their own stories good buy diagnosis and recovery – her relative, her own primary care doctor endure many others in her social be first professional circles. “I benefitted from session their stories and that left avoidance better prepared to face each method. That’s why I decided to tone my own journey in the preeminent way I knew how.”

Through her Facebook and Instagram accounts, she decided call on document key steps and milestones onward her journey and try to latitude the message to her family, flock and followers that annual testing become peaceful mammograms are the best way posture detect breast cancer.

“The responses I standard on those posts from other flock and survivors really grounded me dwell in my healing. I also wanted descendants who I know, love and concern about to understand that they blow away not too busy to get their annual mammograms and this is point up that they need to get done.”

Following surgery in May, Sam is rearmost to her busy lifestyle. She remainder active in many local causes, however a new one will now endure close to her heart.

“I make gathering a point now to urge human beings to keep with their regular therapeutic appointments and tests. Please just freight. Get your mammogram. Get it look. Early detection makes all the disagreement and can save lives. I was extremely fortunate that I caught hunt early enough.”
 

Learn more about our individualized approach to breast cancer care