An Inspiring Journey
- Founder and CEO of AnaOno Intimates, Dana Donofree, is a breast cancer survivor who dedicates her life creating bras for fellow survivors. The fashion designer’s mastectomy bras were among the first to be sold online and not by a medical supply company.
- The entrepreneur recently shared her own joyous reconstructive surgery news, spending time healing just in time for Christmas.
- Whether you opt for reconstructive surgery or not, it is important to remember, as always, to respect each survivor’s decision and what they choose to do with their body to emotionally and physically process and heal from what they have been through.
The entrepreneur recently shared her own joyous reconstructive surgery news, spending time healing just in time for Christmas.
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“I’ve been sliced, I’ve been diced, and I’ve been put back together,” the cancer warrior shared in a post this week. “Healing from revision surgery is going smoothly and appreciate all the love and support received, thank you all for empowering and encouraging me along! ”
She also explained via Instagram that she has been a bit bruised up from the contouring and fat grafting portion of the procedure but “the results are looking incredible! And I cannot wait to share more!”
Donofree said that overall she has fortunately experienced minimal pain, but has been a bit fatigued from the whole ordeal. Nevertheless, she is keeping her spirits up. “I got to shower today! YEA!”
Donofree added that she will be booking a revision mastectomy tattoo for the flower piece on her breast. She joked that unfortunately she will have to go back to Hawaii where her tattoo artist resides. “Everything comes full circle.”
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Donofree was diagnosed with breast cancer the day before her 28th birthday. â In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Donofree said that she believes cancer actually made her a better person. "I was going so hard and so fast that, I just wanted it all. And that's not healthy," Donofree shared. "I feel like cancer slowed me down. It really allowed me to live in the moment. It allowed me to focus on my life and my relationships and things that brought me joy."
Related: After Cancer, It Felt Like a Second Chance to Get This Life Done Right
Donofree said the experience made her a better friend, a better wife, and a good person overall. "It makes me feel honored that I got the chance to course correct.”
Going through cancer even led Donofree to a new business. She had a lot of trouble finding bras that fit her right after her breast cancer treatment … so she did something about it.
‘Cancer Slowed Me Down’Dana Donofree on How Cancer Taught Her to Focus
Rebuilding from the Outside In
Because Donofree was so young when she was diagnosed, the toll cancer took on her appearance was really hard to cope with. "I couldn't even wear clothes that I wore before cancer," Donofree said.
“Rebuilding After Breast Cancer”Dana Donofree's Story
Cancer changes the way people look fairly often, and while a lot of those changes are temporary, some of them aren't … and they're really hard to get used to. For Donofree, it was shocking how differently her clothes fit her after she took on breast cancer. "After I get out of the shower, I see what cancer did to my body," Dana said. "There's not a moment I don't see it."
The biggest fashion dilemma Dana ran into was when she was trying to find a flattering bra. She says there was simply nothing out there that fit her the right way after her mastectomy … that's why she created AnaOno, a lingerie company that has products made specifically for women with breast cancer, that includes both women who have chosen to get reconstruction and those who have chosen to go flat. She likes to use the term “boob-inclusive.”
"If you have one breast, two breasts, no breasts, or new breasts, it shouldn't matter," she told Inc.com.
"All I wanted to do was feel feminine and feel sexy, cancer kept taking things away from me, I wasn't going to let cancer take this from me.”
Breast Reconstruction is Not a ‘Boob Job’
For women who have gone through breast reconstruction after cancer, a common problem that they may face is the misconception that their surgery is the same as a boob job. It's important that people know the difference, and that this mistake may significantly affect a woman's self-esteem.
Breast reconstruction surgery is a decision that women may consider after going through a mastectomy for breast cancer treatment. The reconstruction process can happen at the time of the surgery to remove the breast, or later on in the case of implants. It's a very personal choice for women to make, and many actually don't go through reconstruction. However, for the women who do, they've said that it's a way for them to feel more like themselves after going through the difficult experience of a breast cancer battle.
Related: 'I Felt Like a Woman Again': Do Prosthetic Nipples Help Breast Cancer Survivors?
"It's a very private thing," Dr. Andrea Pusic, chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Brigham Health, said in a previous interview for SurvivorNet. "Breast reconstruction is a restoration of a woman's form and her sense of self. A lot of breast reconstruction is trying to erase the trauma of the mastectomy surgery, putting the cancer behind a patient, saying this is in the rear view mirror, and putting her back on track."
Women who opt to go through breast reconstruction surgery aren't simply trying to alter their appearance. They’re attempting to feel more at home in their bodies after going through a tremendously difficult experience.
Whether you opt for the surgery or not, it is important to remember, as always, to respect each survivor’s decision and what they choose to do with their body to emotionally and physically process and heal from what they have been through.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
