Flat Friends Vision

UK’s only charity dedicated to women living without reconstruction

Flat Friends UK is dedicated to supporting women who have had single or double mastectomy surgery without breast reconstruction, including those who may face such decisions now or in the future, due to either a breast cancer diagnosis or preventative surgery. We believe living without reconstruction is a positive outcome. But want all women to be supported and provided with practical information whichever surgical pathway they are considering.

 This is why we support women who are living flat while they wait for delayed reconstruction, as well as those who are undecided. We encourage women who are considering their options to also access advice regarding reconstruction from other support services (please see our Links section for further details).

Build a thriving supportive community

Creating safe spaces for women to share experiences and advice with each other.

Provide positive and practical support:

Offering advice on clothing, underwear, and living positively without reconstruction through our website and patient booklet.

Make a difference to women’s experiences:

For our details to be given to all women facing a mastectomy without immediate reconstruction, so we can support them through treatment.

Drive a change in attitudes everywhere:

Promoting living without reconstruction as a positive outcome amongst health care professionals, media and society.

Seek equality for women facing mastectomy:

For balancing surgery to be available to all women who want to achieve symmetry without reconstruction.

Supporting informed decision making

We support the NICE guidelines (2018) regarding breast cancer surgery:

1.5.1. Offer both breast reconstruction options to women (immediate reconstruction and delayed reconstruction), whether or not they are available locally.

1.5.2. Be aware that some women may prefer not to have breast reconstruction surgery.

The NICE committee agreed that ‘the option of no reconstruction should also be discussed, because this may be the preferred option for some women’ (NICE, 2018).

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