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Losing breasts to cancer treatment or prevention can impact a woman’s sense of self and wellbeing. Stand Tall AFC empowers those with one or no breasts through Flat Visibility.
After mastectomy, some women choose to go flat by having an Aesthetic Flat Closure. For others, flat was necessary after medical complications from implants or illness.
Seeing others similarly transformed by mastectomy can be a path to healing after this impactful loss.
Since 2021, Stand Tall AFC has destigmatized mastectomy by supporting advocates to appear flat at cancer events. This visibility — whether wearing a shirt or being shirtless — has offered a path to healing for thousands who have participated in or observed this bold display of body acceptance.
The Stand Tall AFC campaign has reached over 120,000 event participants through educational booths, policy advocacy and community outreach.
What’s Aesthetic Flat Closure?
Over 200,000 women have mastectomies to treat or reduce the risks of breast cancer in the U.S. each year. Patients have the option to have aesthetic flat closure (AFC), a smooth flat chest, or rebuild a breast mound through surgical procedures.
- The nonprofit Not Putting On A Shirt collaborated with National Cancer Institute in 2020 to define the results patients want when they decline additional reconstruction surgeries: aesthetic flat closure
- Before 2020, patients had no language other than “no reconstruction” which often resulted in uncomfortable, unwanted, and unsightly excess tissue
- AFC empowers women to take control of their bodies and diminishes the shame experienced by many women due to the loss of a breast(s)
- Today, approximately half facing mastectomy will choose “aesthetic flat closure” (AFC) and the other half choose implant or tissue flap reconstruction
- Many women that choose implants or flaps will experience “reconstruction burnout” (up to 18%)… flat will choose them
- AFC is not always presented to patients by surgeons due to surgical skill sets and bias, this despite the overwhelming health benefits of AFC — flat visibility is changing that!
- VISIBILITY — seeing women without breast(s) at cancer events destigmatizes the effects of mastectomy.
- DIGNITY — being whole is not dependent on breasts, hair or any body part lost to cancer or its prevention.
- EMPOWERMENT — inclusion at cancer events is healing for those with AFC as well as others impacted by breast cancer.
- INFORMED CHOICE — patients should be presented post-mastectomy options with parity which includes using aesthetic flat closure (AFC) to replace “no reconstruction”.
- INCLUSION — STAFC teams support patient rights to all post-mastectomy options including AFC, implants and tissue reconstruction.
The flat visibility movement is seen across the globe at breast cancer events.
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