Few people know it, but Norma Morosan is a breast cancer survivor.

It乌鸦传媒檚 information the White Rock woman says she only ever shared with family, following her 2011 diagnosis.

Until now, that is.

Morosan, the widow of renowned artist Voja Morosan, stepped out of her comfort zone last week to share the piece of her 乌鸦传媒渧ery private乌鸦传媒� life in an effort to help other women like herself 乌鸦传媒� those who乌鸦传媒檝e had breast implants following a mastectomy, but now want them removed in light of a link found between the textured implants and Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).

Morosan received confirmation in a June 28 letter that she was among those potentially at risk, and said the news was 乌鸦传媒渢errifying.乌鸦传媒�

It 乌鸦传媒渃ame as a huge shock,乌鸦传媒� Morosan said.

乌鸦传媒淲hen I read this 乌鸦传媒� the fear that went through me.乌鸦传媒�

The letter describes the condition as rare, with a risk ranging from one in 3,000 to one in 30,000. In addition to sharing symptoms to watch for, and that the best treatment for those with BIA-ALCL is removal of the implant and capsule, the letter advises that the explant surgery is not covered by the Medical Services Plan 乌鸦传媒渦nless there is proven clinical pathology.乌鸦传媒�

Morosan said she knew immediately that she wanted her implants removed, even though she乌鸦传媒檚 had none of the described symptoms.

But she乌鸦传媒檚 frustrated that the surgery doesn乌鸦传媒檛 qualify for MSP coverage, particularly given that the reconstruction 乌鸦传媒� which took four operations 乌鸦传媒� following her cancer was.

乌鸦传媒淚f I乌鸦传媒檇 had it done for cosmetic reasons, I could see their point,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淣ow they find out that what they paid for isn乌鸦传媒檛 working乌鸦传媒� You乌鸦传媒檝e left us.

乌鸦传媒淚 can乌鸦传媒檛 get my head around, this is Canada and we have to deal with this.乌鸦传媒�

Morosan乌鸦传媒檚 story is a familiar one to at least one other White Rock woman.

Shannon Sayers said she paid US$18,000 to have her textured implants removed in an emergency surgery in California more than a year ago, after developing breast-implant illness and embarking on a desperate search to find a surgeon with the experience to conduct the extractions.

She shared her story with Peace Arch News in April, on the same day that Health Canada announced plans to suspend breast-implant manufacturer Allergan乌鸦传媒檚 licences for Biocell implants, a move intended 乌鸦传媒渢o protect Canadian patients from the rare but serious risk乌鸦传媒� of BIA-ALCL.

(Wednesday morning (July 24), Allergan announced it is of its textured breast implants and tissue expanders worldwide, advising healthcare providers to immediately stop using Biocell saline-filled and silicone-filled textured breast implants and tissue expanders. As well, unused devices are being recalled from all markets.)

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Sitting in Morosan乌鸦传媒檚 living room last Monday (July 15), Sayers said she has tried, to no avail, to be reimbursed for the procedure by MSP. She said reasons she was given include that removal of the capsule around the implant is not covered, that the procedure is available in B.C. and that her application for coverage was filed 90 days too late.

Ministry of Health officials said they could not comment on specific patient cases, but confirmed this week that removal of the implants for non-symptomatic patients 乌鸦传媒渋s an exception to the payment schedule.乌鸦传媒�

However, 乌鸦传媒減hysicians can follow the established process for exemption requests by submitting a pre-approval for payment request to MSP (through Health Insurance BC),乌鸦传媒� a statement emailed to Peace Arch News Tuesdaynotes.

In cases where a medically necessary procedure that is not readily available in B.C. is required, a specialist physician may apply for out-of-country coverage, the statement adds.

乌鸦传媒淗owever, breast surgery is available in B.C. and elsewhere in Canada. When surgery is available in B.C., the patient would be referred to a specialist surgeon, who would determine the medical necessity for surgery and book the appropriate date. The specialist surgeon adjusts the surgery date when surgery is considered to be a medical emergency.乌鸦传媒�

Removal and replacement 乌鸦传媒� if replacement is desired 乌鸦传媒� of textured implants done for medical reasons will be covered by MSP, the statement adds.

Morosan said PAN乌鸦传媒檚 April story about Sayers hit home when her June 28 letter arrived. She乌鸦传媒檇 read the story while out of the country, and 乌鸦传媒渢ook a photo of that because I thought I might need to talk to this lady one day.乌鸦传媒�

After receiving the letter, she wasted no time tracking Sayers down.

The pair connected a week later. Sayers said she took the call 乌鸦传媒� sharing with Morosan what she乌鸦传媒檇 learned about treatment and options through her own journey 乌鸦传媒� despite having pledged to herself to focus only on her own recovery for the next two months.

乌鸦传媒淪he was gracious enough to talk to me,乌鸦传媒� Morosan said. 乌鸦传媒淪he saved me a lot of time. Time is not on our side when you have this.乌鸦传媒�

It was during their first face-to-face meeting that an idea about how to help other women took root. Sayers says she knows the need is out there, as she has already spoken with another White Rock woman who has had to fundraise to help pay for her own upcoming explant surgery.

Morosan said she plans to use one of her late husband乌鸦传媒檚 paintings, The Pier, to raise funds to help women who can乌鸦传媒檛 afford the procedure.

乌鸦传媒淓verybody knew Voja. They know me. I might just be heard,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚 know that painting, because of what乌鸦传媒檚 happened with the pier, is very important right now.乌鸦传媒�

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While she is currently selling prints of the artwork for business, once the fundraiser launches, going forward, those proceeds will switch over, Morosan said.

She said exactly when that will happen has yet to be determined, as 乌鸦传媒渨e still have to fine-tune乌鸦传媒� the fundraiser and, she is still trying to find a surgeon for her own procedure.

乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 want to get sick, as I see more and more women coming forward, with ailments from these implants. Once I乌鸦传媒檝e recovered from this I will intend to help other women in this predicament.乌鸦传媒�

Anyone interested in being notified of the fundraiser乌鸦传媒檚 launch may email Morosan at morosan.arts@shaw.ca

She is optimistic that opening up about her own breast-cancer story will ease the journey for others facing the same situation.

乌鸦传媒淭his is probably one of the hardest things I乌鸦传媒檝e had to do, is let people into my personal life,乌鸦传媒� Morosan said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut if I can help one woman the way Shannon has helped me, it will be worth it.乌鸦传媒�

BRA Day

Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is to be a key topic at a Breast Cancer Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day planned for Oct. 9 at Surrey City Hall. Hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society in co-operation with regional plastic surgeons, the free event is 乌鸦传媒渙pen to anyone touched by breast cancer in the past or present,乌鸦传媒� according to a letter sent to patients, including Norma Morosan.

In addition to recent news around ALCL, topics to be covered include the reconstruction process, a general surgeon乌鸦传媒檚 perspective and support resources, the letter states.