A grandfather of six in the B.C. Lower Mainland who never wanted a tattoo in his life, now has one on his face, thanks to the Facial Aesthetic Medical Tattoo Program at Port Moody's Eagle Ridge Hospital.
Malcolm Matheson of Pitt Meadows had cancerous tissue removed from his neck, throat and cheek and doctors grafted skin from his arm onto his face.
He received the tattoo, a skin colour-matching tattoo that blends the tissue more naturally into the surrounding skin, free of charge, a program available to patients recovering from cancers of the face, neck and throat.
Matheson never imagined going to a hospital for a tattoo.
香蕉视频直播淒efinitely not,香蕉视频直播� laughed the Pitt Meadows father of four and grandfather of six.
香蕉视频直播淚 never had a tattoo, never wanted a tattoo and when I told my granddaughter I was getting a tattoo on my face, she was surprised.香蕉视频直播�
He said his first priority was to stay alive for his family, but when presented with the opportunity to have Sandi Saunier, a surgical nurse at Eagle Ridge Hospital, work on his face, he thought, why not?
Saunier, started work tattooing patients in 2009, when a surgeon at the hospital floated the idea of an areola tattoo clinic for breast cancer patients.
To date, Saunier has tattooed areolae on about 1,400 breast cancer survivors, and is now expanding her skillset to include patients recovering from cancers of the facial region.
香蕉视频直播淲hen people look in the mirror, they see this visible reminder of how they香蕉视频直播檝e survived cancer,香蕉视频直播� explained Saunier.
香蕉视频直播淥ften, they香蕉视频直播檝e gone through multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, so being able to help with that final piece that makes them feel better about themselves is gratifying,香蕉视频直播� she said.
Each tattoo session takes up to two hours. And since Saunier is a registered nurse with special training, she can provide a local anaesthetic to minimize the pain that normally comes with tattooing.
The cost of the tattoo is absorbed through ongoing funding from Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation.
香蕉视频直播淔or many patients, this program is the final step in their recovery journey香蕉视频直播攚hen they start to feel like themselves again. It香蕉视频直播檚 about restoring confidence, dignity, and identity. Because of our donors, the Foundation is able to provide this transformational care right here at Eagle Ridge Hospital, and we香蕉视频直播檙e incredibly proud to fully fund it,香蕉视频直播� noted Kristina Chung, executive director of the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation.
Since facial skin is exposed to light, sunscreen and other elements, tattoos often need touching up.
About an hour after Matheson checked in for his touch up, he had a new tattoo complete with a few tiny black dots mimicking his facial hair.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 probably not the skull and crossbones my granddaughter was expecting, but wow, it looks great,香蕉视频直播� he said, noting that this service has really helped him in his healing journey from cancer.
The Facial Aesthetic Medical Tattoo Program is available to cancer patients throughout the Lower Mainland referred by a surgeon.
For more information on how to support this program, call 604-469-3128 or visit .
