Key Takeaways
- Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day exists because too many patients are never told about their full range of options after a mastectomy.
- A federal law requires most group insurance plans that cover mastectomy to also cover breast reconstruction.
- Reconstruction can often start during the same surgery as a mastectomy or be delayed until a later date, depending on a patient's treatment plan.
- Bringing a short list of questions to a surgical consultation helps patients make a confident, informed choice.
- A surgical team that performs reconstruction every single day, rather than occasionally, generally offers shorter waits and deeper experience with complex cases.
- The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction has helped South Carolina patients understand and access these options for over 25 years, with new patient consultations typically available within 2-3 weeks. Request an appointment today to start the conversation.
What Is BRA Day and Why It Exists
Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day is a national campaign led by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and The Plastic Surgery Foundation to close a knowledge gap that affects thousands of women every year. The campaign was created because research kept turning up the same troubling pattern: many patients facing a mastectomy were never given a clear picture of what reconstruction could look like for them, or even told it was an option at all.
BRA Day events, educational materials, and awareness campaigns are built around one simple idea. Every patient deserves to know her choices before, during, and after breast cancer treatment.
Your Right to Know: How Federal Law Protects Reconstruction Access
Long before BRA Day existed, Congress passed the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) of 1998. This law requires that most group health plans covering mastectomy also cover breast reconstruction surgery, along with procedures on the other breast needed to achieve symmetry.
Despite this protection being law for more than two decades, awareness has lagged badly. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, surveys have found that roughly 70 percent of women have not been made aware of this federal law, and data from 2015 showed that less than half of women who needed a mastectomy were even offered reconstruction as an option. Congress responded that same year by passing the Breast Cancer Patient Education Act, which funds public education about reconstruction and insurance coverage.
That gap in awareness is exactly what BRA Day, and blogs like this one, are meant to close.
Immediate vs. Delayed Reconstruction: Why Timing Matters
One of the most important questions a patient can ask early on is when reconstruction can happen. According to Mayo Clinic, reconstruction generally falls into two timing categories, and the choice can affect which techniques remain available later.
| Timing | What It Means | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate Reconstruction | Reconstruction begins during the same operation as the mastectomy. | May preserve more skin and often results in a more natural final shape. |
| Delayed Reconstruction | Reconstruction is performed during a separate surgery at a later date. | Gives patients more time to decide or complete other cancer treatments first; sometimes recommended around radiation therapy. |
Patients who may need radiation therapy should raise this early, since starting reconstruction at the time of mastectomy can preserve more options once radiation is complete.
Questions to Ask Your Surgical Team
A short list of prepared questions can make a consultation far more productive. Patients heading into a breast cancer diagnosis or a scheduled mastectomy may want to ask:
- What are all of my reconstruction options, including both implant-based and natural tissue techniques?
- Does the timing of my cancer treatment affect which options are available to me?
- How many of these procedures does this surgical team perform each year?
- What will recovery look like for each option, and how long is the wait for a first consultation?
- Will my insurance plan cover this surgery under federal law?
Finding a Surgeon Who Specializes in Natural Tissue Reconstruction
Not every plastic surgery practice performs natural tissue, or flap-based, reconstruction on a regular basis. At The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction, Dr. James Craigie and Dr. Richard Kline have worked as a dedicated microsurgical team for over 25 years, completing thousands of breast reconstruction surgeries with a success rate above 99 percent.
Breast reconstruction is the only focus of this practice, which includes techniques such as DIEP flap, GAP flap, and PAP flap surgery. Bilateral GAP flap reconstruction, in particular, is a highly complex procedure that few practices in the region offer as a routine service. Because reconstruction is performed every day rather than occasionally, most new patients are able to schedule a first consultation within 2 to 3 weeks, compared to waits of a year or more that some patients report at other centers.
Start the Conversation About Your Reconstruction Options
Knowing your rights is the first step. Acting on them, with a surgical team experienced in the full range of reconstruction techniques, is what turns that knowledge into a plan. The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction has spent over 25 years helping South Carolina women understand implant-based, DIEP, GAP, and PAP flap options so they can make the decision that is right for their body and their goals.
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, are scheduled for a mastectomy, or simply want to understand your options ahead of time, request an appointment with The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction to speak with a specialist in natural tissue breast reconstruction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is BRA Day?
BRA Day, or Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day, is a national campaign organized by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and The Plastic Surgery Foundation. It is held each October to raise awareness of breast reconstruction options and to make sure patients know their rights under federal law before making treatment decisions.
Does insurance cover breast reconstruction near me?
In most cases, yes. Under the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act, group health plans that cover mastectomy are required to also cover breast reconstruction. Coverage details vary by plan, so patients should confirm specifics with their insurance provider or contact the practice's administrative team for help verifying benefits.
How soon can I get a consultation after a mastectomy diagnosis?
Most new patients at The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction schedule their first consultation within 2 to 3 weeks. Because breast reconstruction is the sole focus of this practice, scheduling windows tend to stay shorter than at practices where reconstruction is only one of many services offered.
Can I still have reconstruction if it has been years since my mastectomy?
Yes. Reconstruction is not limited to a specific timeframe after mastectomy. Many patients choose to pursue it years later, and some also seek help improving results from a prior surgery. Patients considering this option can learn more on the repairing prior reconstruction page.
Why do some women say they didn't know reconstruction was an option?
Studies cited by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show a persistent information gap between breast cancer surgeons and plastic surgeons, along with low awareness of federal insurance protections. This is precisely the gap that BRA Day and patient education efforts are designed to close.
