THE BOUDICA WITHIN
The extraordinary journey of women after breast cancer and reconstruction

ELAINE SASSOON
Photography: Andrea O’Hare

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‘I had gone to meet one of the breast surgeons to plan my job as the new Consultant Plastic Surgeon charged with setting up a formal breast reconstruction service for Norfolk, I was told: ‘Women in Norfolk don’t want a breast. They are down to earth farmers, they have better things to think about, so you are not needed.’

Elaine Sassoon, head of the Department of Plastic Surgery at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, specializing in microsurgery and breast reconstruction, ignored the comment and persevered, and in the ten years she has spent looking after her breast reconstruction patients she has been constantly impressed by their fortitude, resilience and sense of humour.

Andrea O’Hare, is an award-winning photographer, based in Northern Ireland. Together they have created The Boudica Within. 

Elaine wanted to pay tribute to these women and so, after seeing the wonderful Aphrodite (pub Verve Editions, USA) by the photographer Terry Lorant she was inspired to write about some of her own patients. 

Twenty-three women – from their thirties to their eighties - tell their story about having breast-cancer and beast reconstruction and how it has changed, improved, enhanced, empowered their lives.

Each story is accompanied by photographs taken by Andrea O’Hare, which are evocative and stunning and show what can be done to help women overcome the effects of this dreadful disease. 

There is still a long way to go to ensure that all women have the right to a consistent level of care nationally and it is hoped this book will empower them to talk to their surgeons and clinicians about reconstructive surgery and the choices available to them.

ISBN: 978-1-85297-097-0 246 X 214mm 136pp, full colour, softback, with 100 photographs 
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