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Episode 99: Breast Cancer Rehabilitation Therapy
Part of my work as Founder/Director of DiepCFoundation is traveling to medical conferences. In April of this year, at the ARSA Summit, Advanced Reconstructive Surgery Alliance 2026, I met Alina and Carolyn who both work in cancer rehabilitation. Their booth at the conference intrigued me and we started a robust conversation on the value of their work especially as it relates to breast cancer and breast reconstruction surgery. This episode of the DiepCJourney® podcast is on the topic of Breast Cancer Rehabilitation Therapy at ReVital Cancer Foundation. It will be available on the DiepCFoundation YouTube channel when published. Alina Hedaya, PT, DPT, OCS, Cert MDT is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Her current focus is bringing rehabilitation to the forefront of cancer care. Alina is actively involved in training clinicians all around the nation so that cancer rehabilitation services are available for people right in their own communities. She serves on the board of the International Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation. Carolyn Kalpas, PT, MSPT, is a cancer rehabilitation advocate and Specialist & Director for ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation at NovaCare Rehabilitation. She works as the liaison to healthcare in the oncology world. Carolyn believes that cancer rehab is an amazing part of what can be done for patients in supporting them throughout their cancer care and beyond. We begin by discussing some of the most common physical challenges for breast cancer patients. Alina describes a few of the challenges. ·       Pain ·       Fatigue ·       Limited shoulder mobility ·       Scar tissue issues ·       Lymphedema ·       Being able to be independent after surgery. We discussed the different considerations for rehabilitation following breast reconstruction and breast surgery. They emphasized the importance of looking at each patient on an individual basis, assessing their needs, and meeting them where they are in the recovery process. Surgical precautions are taken depending on what type of surgery a patient has. Alina shares an important statement that summarizes the value of a rehabilitation specialist. “You have someone by your side understanding what’s safe.” We discuss lymphedema awareness, the importance of movement and its benefits in lymphedema treatment, and how they communicate with patient providers to maximize patient outcomes. They both share lifestyle modifications including aerobic activity, strength training for major muscle groups, skin care, getting proper fluid intake, aligning with surgical protocols during recovery, and we mention the value of a food diary to track optimal nutrition for patients. I want to announce that June is Cancer Rehabilitation Month. As part of our efforts in working with the International Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation this interview is DiepCFoundation’s program contribution for the community to learn more. To learn more about their work follow the following links to find out more. Website: Selectmedical.com/ReVital LinkedIn – Carolyn Kalpas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-kalpas-pt-mspt-0bb6a5172/ LinkedIn – Alina Hedaya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alina-hedaya-pt-dpt-ocs-603856/ Instagram – Kessler Rehab: https://www.instagram.com/kesslerrehabilitationcenter/ Instagram – International Cancer Rehab Foundation: https://www.instagram.com/intcancerrehabfoundation/  
DiepCJourney Podcast
https://diepcjourney.com/
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