Breast disease almost ruined Shakira’s life
Jul 19, 2005
SWEET sixteen it is said, but for Shakira, life at sixteen was not sweet because each of her breasts weighed over seven kilogrammes.
By Harriette Onyalla
SWEET sixteen it is said, but for Shakira, life at sixteen was not sweet because each of her breasts weighed over seven kilogrammes.
Her breasts started growing rapidly after she turned 13 years. Everyone thought they would soon stop growing, but they didn’t. The breasts became so enormous that Shakira could not find clothes or bras that fitted her.
“We tried everything to stop the growth, but in vain. I spent a lot of money on medical bills and fees to witchdoctors,†Sulaina Nakazibwe, Shakira’s paternal aunt says.
Because Shakira’s breasts were growing larger everyday, she became so self-conscious that she started avoiding people. Her peers gave her many names in reference her huge breasts. “Paw paw, basket, ffene (jack fruit),†they taunted her.
This psychological torture forced her to drop out of school. Meanwhile, the weight of her breasts caused constant pain in her chest, ribs and nape.
“We took her to a witchdoctor thinking that someone had bewitched her because of her good performance in class,†Nakazibwe says.
Shakira is an orphan. Her father died six years ago while her mother died in 2002. The witchdoctor tried to treat Shakira using herbs and sacrificial offerings, but in vain.
Help comes
Bukedde published Shakira’s plight on May 29, 2005 and Good Samaritans helped her get to Mulago Hospital where her breasts were operated free of charge.
Mulago hospital specialist plastic surgeon Dr Edris Kalanzi diagnosed Shakira’s condition as breast hypertrophy.
The condition, which was benign, is not hereditary. Kalanzi operated Shakira with another specialist plastic surgeon, Dr Andrew Hodges. Benign breast hypertrophy is a condition where breasts enlarge excessively during adolescence.
“This condition is not common and the cause is still unknown. It is not related to hormonal imbalance or trauma caused by the girl squeezing her breasts,†Kalanzi says.
Research is still going on about the cause of the abnormal growth, however, some scientists say it is probably due to over sensitivity of breast tissue to estrogen hormone.
In benign breast hypertrophy, the breasts may not be equal in size. The breasts also become painful and heavy. This weight causes pain in the chest and nape.
Breast development
Normal breast development first appears shortly after birth and again at puberty. Boys as well as girls have a small breast bud that can be felt for a few weeks after birth.
Mature breast development is called thelarche. It may begin as early as eight years in some girls while in others, it may not occur until well into the teenage years.
Treatment
Treatment is aimed at relieving pain and restoring the patient’s self image.
The first choice of therapy is a support bra. However, excessive weight of the breasts causes the bra to leave deep marks in the girl’s shoulder. The only known way to reduce the size of the breast is surgical. The surgical therapy, also known as reduction mammaplasty, involves excision of a large part of breast.
However, this plastic surgery therapy is not usually approved unless at least one and a half kilogrammes of tissue need to be removed from each breast. Six kilogrammes of tissue were removed from each of Shakira’s breasts.
A study carried out by Cancer Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, China between November 1980 and December 2001 found reduction mammaplasty as the best option for the treatment of breast hypertrophy. The success rate was 94.2%.
However, it is advisable to wait for about two years without further growth or change in the size of the breasts.
That is when one can be sure that after the operation, the breasts will not grow back again. This is also safe because it ensures the breast development is not disrupted so that after the operation she will still be able to breastfeed normally.
Chances of the breasts swelling again are low.
Side-effects
The side-effects include scars. For some people, the scars may swell or form a mass of tissue.
Sometimes, part of the breasts may not get enough blood supply and die off or blood may clot in part of the breasts.
There are also the normal infections associated with surgery.
Shakira:
Shakira went back home two weeks after her operation. Her eyes are radiant with joy and her life is transformed.
Although she is still shy, she has returned to senior two at a girl’s school in Masaka. Her steps are still hesitant, but she walks with her head high.
Shakira used to perform best in English and commerce but her experience has changed her dreams.
So consumed is Shakira with her new found dream that she is determinedly reading science subjects.
She wants to become a doctor. But being an orphan with a struggling aunt as a guardian, only school fees may stop her in her tracks.
Ends
SWEET sixteen it is said, but for Shakira, life at sixteen was not sweet because each of her breasts weighed over seven kilogrammes.
Her breasts started growing rapidly after she turned 13 years. Everyone thought they would soon stop growing, but they didn’t. The breasts became so enormous that Shakira could not find clothes or bras that fitted her.
“We tried everything to stop the growth, but in vain. I spent a lot of money on medical bills and fees to witchdoctors,†Sulaina Nakazibwe, Shakira’s paternal aunt says.
Because Shakira’s breasts were growing larger everyday, she became so self-conscious that she started avoiding people. Her peers gave her many names in reference her huge breasts. “Paw paw, basket, ffene (jack fruit),†they taunted her.
This psychological torture forced her to drop out of school. Meanwhile, the weight of her breasts caused constant pain in her chest, ribs and nape.
“We took her to a witchdoctor thinking that someone had bewitched her because of her good performance in class,†Nakazibwe says.
Shakira is an orphan. Her father died six years ago while her mother died in 2002. The witchdoctor tried to treat Shakira using herbs and sacrificial offerings, but in vain.
Help comes
Bukedde published Shakira’s plight on May 29, 2005 and Good Samaritans helped her get to Mulago Hospital where her breasts were operated free of charge.
Mulago hospital specialist plastic surgeon Dr Edris Kalanzi diagnosed Shakira’s condition as breast hypertrophy.
The condition, which was benign, is not hereditary. Kalanzi operated Shakira with another specialist plastic surgeon, Dr Andrew Hodges. Benign breast hypertrophy is a condition where breasts enlarge excessively during adolescence.
“This condition is not common and the cause is still unknown. It is not related to hormonal imbalance or trauma caused by the girl squeezing her breasts,†Kalanzi says.
Research is still going on about the cause of the abnormal growth, however, some scientists say it is probably due to over sensitivity of breast tissue to estrogen hormone.
In benign breast hypertrophy, the breasts may not be equal in size. The breasts also become painful and heavy. This weight causes pain in the chest and nape.
Breast development
Normal breast development first appears shortly after birth and again at puberty. Boys as well as girls have a small breast bud that can be felt for a few weeks after birth.
Mature breast development is called thelarche. It may begin as early as eight years in some girls while in others, it may not occur until well into the teenage years.
Treatment
Treatment is aimed at relieving pain and restoring the patient’s self image.
The first choice of therapy is a support bra. However, excessive weight of the breasts causes the bra to leave deep marks in the girl’s shoulder. The only known way to reduce the size of the breast is surgical. The surgical therapy, also known as reduction mammaplasty, involves excision of a large part of breast.
However, this plastic surgery therapy is not usually approved unless at least one and a half kilogrammes of tissue need to be removed from each breast. Six kilogrammes of tissue were removed from each of Shakira’s breasts.
A study carried out by Cancer Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, China between November 1980 and December 2001 found reduction mammaplasty as the best option for the treatment of breast hypertrophy. The success rate was 94.2%.
However, it is advisable to wait for about two years without further growth or change in the size of the breasts.
That is when one can be sure that after the operation, the breasts will not grow back again. This is also safe because it ensures the breast development is not disrupted so that after the operation she will still be able to breastfeed normally.
Chances of the breasts swelling again are low.
Side-effects
The side-effects include scars. For some people, the scars may swell or form a mass of tissue.
Sometimes, part of the breasts may not get enough blood supply and die off or blood may clot in part of the breasts.
There are also the normal infections associated with surgery.
Shakira:
Shakira went back home two weeks after her operation. Her eyes are radiant with joy and her life is transformed.
Although she is still shy, she has returned to senior two at a girl’s school in Masaka. Her steps are still hesitant, but she walks with her head high.
Shakira used to perform best in English and commerce but her experience has changed her dreams.
So consumed is Shakira with her new found dream that she is determinedly reading science subjects.
She wants to become a doctor. But being an orphan with a struggling aunt as a guardian, only school fees may stop her in her tracks.
Ends