BALTIMORE — Life after breast cancer comes with many choices and challenges. A local woman shares her story for the first time after living without cancer for eight years, expressing there are other options than reconstruction.
"Living flat means that there’s no turning back, this is it,” said Ali Kay who has chosen to have her breast tissue removed.
For warriors of breast cancer, body image becomes a big deal. It's no different with this warrior.
"It's your dance with the big bc you pick the steps,” said Kay.
When Kay was diagnosed with Stage three c triple-negative breast cancer in 2014, she didn't know what it would bring. Cancer doesn't run in her family, so this was odd.
"I decided on a presumptive double mastectomy because of the type of cancer and they're like 'well yea we can put the implants in at the same time let’s kill two birds with one stone,'” said Kay.
At the time, reconstruction was the only choice presented by doctors.
"Shortly thereafter, the implants calcified and encapsulated, I had two bouts of septicemia, septic, 20 days in the hospital,” said Kay.
That's when her friend came across a different option.
Kay said, “My best girlfriend Laura says 'hey I was reading the New York Times, which she does every day, and there was a Sunday magazine article about breast cancer survivors living flat.'”
She saw the beauty in those women and decided it was time to change her story.
"I live flat, I have no breast tissue,” said Kay. “There is no structure to support an implant.”
She knew with that choice would also come some other changes in her life.
"In the beginning there were concerns about fashion, I had to have a blazer on. I wouldn't wear a tight t-shirt because the dimension was lost,” said Kay.
She turned the focus off her chest, “When I realized that my spirit and my glory and my power needs to enter the room before I even step foot in it. That's confidence that's not centered in the middle of my chest any more,” said Kay. “And I said yea that's great because I’m a whole package, I’m not just a bust line.”
While there are still times of distress, she says the gain from choosing to live flat outweighs everything else. And encourages anyone going through a similar situation to give it some thought.
"It’s an option and yeah you lose your bust line but gosh don't turn your back on what you're going to gain,” said Kay.
A healthcare option she said needs more light, "There are organizations all around the country, flat boobies but you know I’m my own group and I’m fiercely flat and nothings going to stop me,” said Kay.
