She realised it would allow her to create a right breast and have reconstructive surgery on the left side using an implant because there was enough skin left in situ from the first operation in 2020.
When she put this to Reza – “could we rob Peter to pay Paul?” – she “could literally see the cogs whirring” in his head.
He recalled being speechless at the idea.
“I had never seen or heard of such a procedure being talked about or published.
“I wasn’t even sure at that stage whether I would be adding to Nicola’s care or taking away from it.”
Reza said it was very unusual to have a patient come up with such a radical idea.
“Kudos to Nicola because she’s amazing.
“I had extensive discussions with colleagues all over the UK who are all experts in flap reconstruction from the abdomen. The conclusion was maybe it is possible and just go ahead with it.
“This is not run of the mill mastectomy we’re talking about,” he said.
“We’re removing the whole of the footprint of the breast [on the right]. It is a very, very large area of skin and to be able to close it you have to borrow from somewhere, some skin and tissue, that can withstand future radiotherapy.
“Left is a side that’s easy to reconstruct in future, because it’s not subject to radiotherapy and all other treatments, and the cancer itself.”
