New Breast Prosthetics Come to SLV Health
Written by Jefferson Geiger
Mastectomy patients will now be able to live a more comfortable life thanks to Horizon Prosthetics. The company from Colorado Springs has innovative technology that allows them to do a laser scan of the chest to get accurate measurements. Once scanned, the women can completely customize their handcrafted prosthetic. They can pick from a variety of skin tones and nipple designs to make the prosthetic their own.
The customization can take about three months so if they don’t wish to wait they can get off-the-shelf models. If they have a lumpectomy, which means that only a portion of the breast was removed, then they can also purchase forms to make their breast whole again.
Besides the custom fit, these are unique because the lightweight prosthetics affix themselves to the chest wall with magnets. “Women can be active and not have to worry about where is prothetic is at or if it’s going to shift,” said Rebecca Daniels, Breast Health Patient Navigator. “If a woman went swimming with her old prosthetic, it’s very likely that it would end up near her belly button.”
“Once you’ve gone through cancer, it’s traumatizing,” Daniels said. “You’re not like everyone else anymore. There’s a risk of it coming back and you’ve been through so many surgeries, your breasts are disfigured or whatever the case may be its incredibly difficult to go back to normal. Breasts are a huge part of a women’s identity and it’s important to fit in and when you don’t look like everyone else it can be hard. It’s a wonderful way to get women their confidence back.”
Horizon will be in town July 23, 24 and 25. The first day they’ll educate providers on the new prosthetics while the other two days are available for women to receive scans. Thanks to the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, the cost of these prosthetics will be nonexistent or severely reduced.
“They’ve already been to Salida but this is the first time coming to the valley,” said Theresa Curtis, RN Patient Navigator for Oncology. “Anybody is welcome. All they need a script from their doctor so they can sign for the prosthetics.”
“If the prosthetic is good enough it could almost be indecipherable that it’s there,” Daniels said. “It’s revolutionary."
If you are interested in learning more and attending this event, please call Patient Navigator Theresa Curtis at (719) 587-6319. Spots are very limited at this point so please get in touch with Theresa as soon as possible if you are interested.
To read more about Horizon Prosthetics, view their brochure.