The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed or canceled many mammograms and other types of cancer screenings. In some cases, the Coronavirus caused breast cancer surgeries to be postponed or canceled. With far fewer cases of all types of cancer being diagnosed because of the upheaval caused by COVID-19, plastic surgeon Dr. Johnny Salomon believes there's never been a better time to spread the word about this year's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

"Early detection and treatment are key when it comes to combating breast cancer," explained Dr. Salomon. "Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females all over the globe, and with 1.38 million new cases and 458,000 death each year, you can see what we're up against. That's why raising awareness this October is so vital. We may not know what causes breast cancer, but we know the odds of it being cured are so much better if it's diagnosed early."

In countries where poverty is rife, women are often diagnosed with breast cancer when the disease is in its last stages. Dr. Salomon said, "The barriers we face are lack of awareness and inadequate health services. If Breast Cancer Awareness Month strives to do anything, it's to educate women on how to examine themselves properly, what warning signs to look for, and to provide adequate screening facilities so they can get a proper diagnosis and seek the appropriate treatment."

As a plastic surgeon with years of experience, Dr. Salomon has firsthand experience treating breast cancer survivors and explained, "Reconstructing a breast that has been removed due to cancer is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling surgical procedures there is. I have had many clients who have arrived at my clinic, overjoyed that they've beaten cancer but distraught that they had to have a mastectomy. The relief on their face is palpable when I tell them that plastic surgeons now have at their disposal the tools and technology to create a breast which, to all extent, purposes looks and feels like the natural body part."

Dr. Salomon points out that although your breast may not have the same shape as before mastectomy, the difference will be so subtle as to be only noticed by the patient. Furthermore, breast reconstruction is now possible immediately following mastectomy, while the patient is still under anesthetics. In such circumstances, the patient can be spared the anxiety of seeing themselves in a radically altered state. 

Dr. Salomon explained, "Breast cancer survivors have already been through a courageous and prolonged battle to beat the disease. They don't necessarily need the additional stress and anxiety that worrying about their appearance can cause. If I can help improve their quality of life and boost their self-esteem post-surgery, then I am a happy man. The fight against breast cancer goes on, but advances in detection and treatment give me hope that we will win this fight one day. Awareness, of course, is everything, and that's why this October, we need to educate the world."