"When Kristina Teschner went in for their first mammogram at 44, they didn't expect it to change everything. "I caught this extremely early," Teschner said, recalling how a casual Google search of their medical report confirmed their fears - stage zero DCIS breast cancer. Even so, early detection didn't blunt the emotional shock. The diagnosis came at a moment when Teschner, who works in communication and advocacy but is now looking for work, was already navigating their gender identity."
""The assumption was that I am a woman who connects femininity to my breasts. That I would most likely want reconstruction and for it to be like nothing ever happened." The process moved fast - diagnosis in February, a surgeon's visit days later, and consultations with a plastic surgeon the following week. Teschner initially agreed to a "deep flap" reconstruction, in which stomach tissue is used to rebuild the breast."
Brooklyn marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month while many residents confront diagnosis, treatment decisions, and daily life. Kristina Teschner received a stage zero DCIS diagnosis after a first mammogram at 44 and experienced emotional shock despite early detection. At the time, Teschner was navigating a non-binary gender identity and encountered a medical system that assumed femininity and reconstruction desires. The treatment process moved rapidly with consultations for reconstruction, and Teschner initially agreed to a deep flap procedure using stomach tissue. Further research prompted questioning of reconstruction choices and introduced awareness of the aesthetic flat closure option, which involves no reconstruction.
Read at Brooklyn Paper
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