A View from the Other Side D r Beryl Tan is a specialist plastic surgeon whose work includes breast reconstruction, facial aesthetics and body contouring. Her colleagues at Western Health and in private practice in Brighton, Victoria, include breast surgeons
“That could have had a huge impact on my career as a surgeon.” Beryl says her role as a health professional helped her deal with her diagnosis and approach to treatment. “For one thing, I had complete trust in the people who treated me,” she says. “For another, I knew what to expect.” “It also helped that I am a glass-half-full kind of person. I just knew I had to stay positive and get on with my life,” she says. Knowing breast cancer generally has a high rate of survival in Australia also helped Beryl maintain an optimistic outlook. “We have good, strong evidence about what works best now because of the continuous research and advances in the treatment of breast cancer,” she says. “Early detection makes a difference.” On reflection, she thinks her experience of breast cancer has changed the way she works as a surgeon. “While I’ve always tried to put myself in the patient’s shoes, I suppose I’m now more in tune with what to say for some people and who I choose to share my experience with,” she says. “For some patients, it makes a huge difference when I say, ‘I know how you feel, I’ve gone through the same thing’ They find it very reassuring,” she says. During her recovery, Beryl found it helped to keep up her normal
routine as much as possible. “When I had radiotherapy, I’d work half a day and go for radiotherapy the same day,” she says. “I continued with my gym and did a lot of hiking, which kept me sane.” She also found it helped to be kind to herself and lean on others. “I know it’s easier said than done, but you need to allow your body and mind time to process your diagnosis and accept it,” Beryl says. “Remember, you’re not going through this alone because there’s always help—and not just from your loved ones. There are also your doctors and breast care nurses who genuinely care about you.” BERYL’S TOP RECOVERY TIPS • Try as best you can to follow your treatment team’s instructions. • Rest—give your body time to heal; prioritise sleep. • Eat foods that optimise healing —this includes protein-rich food
and oncologists. In 2020, Beryl was diagnosed with breast cancer and her experience as both a health professional and a patient coloured her experience. In December 2020, Beryl noticed one of her nipples had retracted, which was something new. She spoke to a colleague and friend who recommended investigating further and, after some scans and tests, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Everything went quickly at that point. Beryl had a mastectomy and axillary clearance. She chose to have an implant reconstruction because she wanted the fastest recovery time. She also opted to have the Oncotype DX test, which is a type of genomic test. Genomic testing is sometimes recommended when the benefit of chemotherapy or hormone-blocking therapy is uncertain. These tests can provide information about how likely it is the cancer will return and whether treatment like chemotherapy may help to reduce this risk. Based on these test results, Beryl was told she wouldn’t need chemotherapy. “That was an incredible relief for me, especially given one of the potential side effects of chemo is peripheral neuropathy,” says Beryl.
such as fish, meat and beans, as well as colourful vegetables for vitamins and minerals.
• Maintain your normal activities and hobbies as much as possible. • Reflect and re-evaluate your life, decide what is important.
Oncotype DX is not covered by Medicare and has an out-of- pocket cost. There are also other types and brands of genomic tests that incur different costs. Speak to your treating team to find out more.
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Issue 97 | April 2024
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