Sarah’s story: The lasting impact of missed reconstruction after mastectomy

Our client

Our client, Sarah was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and underwent a mastectomy two weeks after being diagnosed. She had breast implants, which needed to be removed to allow for her mastectomy and believed reconstruction would be offered following her surgery. Following her surgery, Sarah was told this would not be the case, and that she would need to lose weight first.

Sarah has been forced to live with extreme scarring on her chest from her mastectomy which she describes as being “unbearable, I can’t even look at myself” and has been on the waiting list for reconstruction for 14 months.

Since her operation, Sarah has experienced significant psychological distress, and she has lost five stones to increase her chances of being given reconstruction, based on what she was initially told.

However, in September 2025, Sarah was contacted unexpectedly by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, to inform her it had been reviewing the care she was given two years ago and the investigation found that Sarah should have been offered immediate reconstruction following her mastectomy.

In a letter to her, the Trust admits it “should have discussed with you the option of immediate reconstruction… we failed to do so.”

Sarah says this has devastated her life, particularly because the profound physical and mental impact was avoidable.

“I am so angry, upset, I cry all the time, this has just ruined my life. After what’s happened, I don’t wear nice underwear or swimwear, we don’t go on holiday, I don’t get undressed in front of my husband – I don’t feel like a woman anymore,” she says.

“To learn that I could and should have been offered reconstruction straight away was so much to take in. It has been absolutely devastating. I have cried every time I’ve looked in the mirror for so long, and it was all avoidable.

“I have been told that to have reconstruction now will be quite an extensive process, they will have to take skin from my stomach, and it will leave me unable to move properly for quite a while afterwards and will also leave more scarring. Honestly, this has been the most horrendous couple of years – and to find out it didn’t need to be this way has really knocked me for six.”

How we are helping

Sarah is being supported in finding answers as to what went wrong in her care by law firm Slater and Gordon.

“Sarah rightly expected that after such life-changing surgery as a mastectomy, she would be given reconstruction surgery – the fact she was not has affected her physically and psychologically to a very significant extent. It has impacted every aspect of Sarah’s life, and she struggles very much with her appearance,” says Chloe Gibson, a lawyer in our clinical negligence team.

“The Trust themselves have admitted the care they gave to Sarah was sub-standard and inappropriate, and that is absolutely shocking and unacceptable. We will support Sarah in every way we can in finding the full facts around what happened.”

How we could help you

Many women across County Durham may have experienced poor health care from the Durham and Darlington Breast Cancer Service. If you or a loved one believe you have suffered due to medical negligence at Durham and Darlington Breast Cancer Service, we are here to support you. Call us on 0330 041 5869 or contact us online to arrange a call back.