Hey, Lakeland. Kayla here, 6AM Branded Content Creator. In 2010, my mom was one of the thousands of women in the U.S. to be diagnosed with breast cancer. She now thankfully counts herself as one of the country’s 3.5 million breast cancer survivors, a number that increases annually thanks to advances in treatment, early detection + increased awareness.

When someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, the focus is typically on immediate treatment rather than one’s quality of life after treatment. Traditional surgical procedures can leave patients with visible scars that can negatively affect their relationships + mental health. When asked if seeing her scars had an emotional impact post-surgery, my mom explained, “It did, and it still does. I’m lucky, but it’s such a reminder.”

As medical technology continues to advance, many surgeons are committed to learning + providing the latest treatments to better serve their patients. Lakeland Regional Health is home to the nationally-recognized Hollis Cancer Center, where surgeons Toan Nguyen, MD + Vanessa Prowler, MD are trained in innovative surgical options for treating breast cancer.

Oncoplastic breast surgery is one of these options, which uses an aesthetic approach in combination with oncological principles. Surgeons trained in this type of procedure (like Nguyen + Prowler) are often Hidden Scar-certified, undergoing additional training + using specialized equipment during surgery to minimize the appearance of post-surgical scars.

Click here for more info on how surgeons at Lakeland Regional Health are improving patients’ experience + quality of life. Ⓟ