CHENNAI:In the late 1980s, when the city had only a few plastic surgeons, and even fewer women in the field, Dr V Ramadevi was committed to becoming one. Her zeal for life and confidence will have you believe that it was no struggle to come up in a field dominated by men. Today, Dr Ramadevi heads the Department of Plastic Surgery at Stanley Medical College Hospital — a government-run centre that offers free cosmetic breast surgery, organ transplant, burn injury treatment, and skin reconstruction for acid attack victims.
She believes that awareness about skin and breast reconstruction processes is the lowest among women from poorer socio-economic backgrounds. A common misconception is that cosmetic procedures don’t improve the functioning of a person, and therefore government funds must be allocated for treatment of communicable diseases instead. Dr Ramadevi explains that this only adds to the inhibitions of women who seek breast surgeries. “We see women with breast-related issues dealing with poor self-esteem and depression. They often don’t know whom to approach,”she says, adding that treatments like breast reduction helps ease shoulder pains, and fungal infection of skin under breast crease.
These treatments in other centres in the city cost anywhere between `3-20 lakh. Breast cancer patients who come to the hospital for radiation and chemotherapy, don’t often know of reconstruction processes and post therapy treatment that is required. “While there are private and government centres for therapy, no government centre focuses on the reconstruction aspect of it. So most women who come to us don’t know that a surgery can help reconstruct their breasts. Besides, skin reconstruction is also important to help protect them from the side effects of radiation.”
To help give holistic treatment, Dr Ramadevi launched a multi-speciality clinic last month, to offer free consultation for women with breast related issues. Her days at the hospital are packed. Apart from acid attack victims and cancer survivors, about 80-100 people with burn injuries, visit the centre everyday. What keeps her going? “It’s all the things that I have planned for the centre, like introducing a laser treatment centre to avoid surgeries. There’s a long way to go, and even though it feels like a prolonged process, sometimes, it’s my life’s work now.”