Dr Karin Baatjes is a breast cancer surgeon and activist for DITTO. Everyday she touches the lives of women with her hands. She has taken it upon herself to also do it with her feet, by running the West Coast marathon on 23 April 2016!
Ditto is REACH FOR RECOVERY’S SILICONE PROSTHESIS SUPPORT PROJECT
Reach for Recovery is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers since the late 1960’s. It’s a breast cancer support organisation based on the principle of woman who have experienced breast cancer themselves giving freely of their time and experience to assist and support another woman with breast cancer.
Well-selected and trained volunteers, who each have experienced the breast cancer journey, render one on one emotional care and practical support programme to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and their families.
Reach for Recovery volunteers provide all their breast cancer patients with a temporary soft prosthesis, a bag for their port au vac drain, a cushion for under arm comfort and a firm sponge for hand and arm exercise. These items are provided free of charge.
Reach for Recovery believes that all women who have had breast cancer surgery should have timely access to appropriate breast prostheses, regardless of whether they can pay for it or not.
However, not all patients can afford the cost of a permanent prosthesis.
This is where Dr Karin Baatjes is stepping up and leading the way by raising funds with her kb for ditto campaign. The funds are all used to offer prosthetic implants to patients who have had mastectomies, who would normally not have that choice due to financial constraints.
“Dr Karin Baatjes is an amazing surgeon. She is successful because of her passion and compassion. She not only touches the lives of her patients everyday, but also students and colleagues. We all know, as her patients does, that no matter how unrefined, untapered, or sca(r)red you are when you arrive at her consultation door, lectures, skills lab training, ward rounds or in theatre, if she is there, you walk out feeling at ease, respecting yourself (your limitations and successes), wanting to be better and empowered to do whatever it takes.”
“She would never say any of these things about herself and that is why we are speaking up for her and raising awareness of her project, so she can help countless more women!”
For more info on the amazing campaign click here.
