Health
The Importance of Breast Reconstruction Surgery in Breast Cancer Survivors: Insights from Dr Judy Ward
Discover the options available to breast cancer survivors who choose reconstructive surgery. Dr. Judy Ward, Barbados' only certified plastic surgeon, shares her expertise in this field.
6 min read
Originally published by www.nationnews.com (opens in new tab)
This month, as the focus is on breast cancer awareness, we bring some stories which were published last year. This one is slightly different, as it explores options open to survivors who opt for reconstructive surgery.
This article was published on October 30, 2022
For the past 15 years Dr Judy Ward has lent her expertise in reconstructive surgery. Today, she is the only Barbadian certified plastic surgeon in practice on the island. Ward performs all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery.
This comprises breast surgery including reconstruction, hand surgery, craniofacial reconstructive surgery, head and neck reconstructive surgery. She also provides services in burn management skin and soft tissue neoplasm, scar management and cosmetic surgery procedures.
However, it is in the area of breast reconstruction after cancer treatment that Ward wants to increase awareness. And she is fully qualified to do so.
A product of The St Michael School and the Barbados Community College (BCC), Ward studied medicine at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus, Jamaica from 1993 to 1996. She returned to Barbados to complete her clinical years from 1996 to 1998, followed by internship at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).
She would later go on to the University of Toronto, Canada, where she spent five years. During the first two years she studied general surgery and the remaining three years were spent mastering the art of plastic and reconstructive surgery.
After completing her plastic surgery board examination which was given by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2006, Ward spent a year at the Miami Children’s and South Miami hospitals where she further sub-specialised in craniofacial surgeries until her return to Barbados in 2007. She joined the team of surgeons at the QEH and shortly thereafter, opened her private practice which is now located at Pine View Medical Centre.
The board certified plastic surgeon pointed out that working with breast cancer survivors has been a major part of her practice.
Reconstruction breast surgery
She shared aspects of reconstruction breast surgery – an option that women sometimes chose after they have had a mastectomy (removal of the entire breast/s) or a lumpectomy (the removal of cancerous lump or other abnormal tissue from one’s breast/s).
Ward explained, “With the diagnosis of breast cancer there are two aspects of surgery. There is the surgery to eradicate the cancer which is performed by a general surgeon. The individual also has the option to have reconstructive surgery done on their breasts.”
She cautioned, “There are parameters to consider. We don’t ever want reconstructive surgery to interfere with cancer treatment. The cancer treatment must take priority and the reconstructive surgery should not delay this treatment.”
Ward further noted, “Sometimes immediate reconstructive surgery can be performed at the same time as the mastectomy or lumpectomy. And then there is delayed reconstructive breast surgery, which is done sometime after the mastectomy is performed, the patient has healed and has undergone all necessary adjunctive treatments (chemotherapy and/or radiation).”
