Flat or Reconstructed, Not Broken: Analysis of Women's Post-mastectomy Narratives

Heather A. Smith

Advisor: Gary L. Kreps, PhD, Department of Communication

Committee Members: Kevin B. Wright, Sojung Kim

Online Location, Online
April 09, 2024, 01:00 PM to 03:00 PM

Abstract:

This study integrates several different interrelated qualitative methods to craft a holistic narrative of the lived experience of mastectomy survivors. Breast cancer survivors, especially those who have experienced mastectomy, face some of the greatest psychosocial and physical challenges of all cancer survivors. The experience of breast cancer and mastectomy are uniquely gendered experiences, and are complicated by the social roles of women, the history of treatment of women in the biomedical community, and the complexity of issues surrounding mastectomy and reconstruction. The purpose of this study is to bring out the voices of women through their own means, creating a greater level of consciousness of both their suffering and their resilience that can help guide effective programs, policies, and supportive health communication efforts for these women. By examining the unique identity, privacy, and sense making experiences surrounding choice and status of breast cancer, this dissertation honors the voices of survivors through written, verbal, and visual narrative inquiry, employing multiple theories related to identity and social relations.

Key terms: Mastectomy, Identity, Loss, Survivor, Communication, Narrative, Privacy