Rewritten Me is Australia’s podcast dedicated to reconstruction after mastectomy, created and hosted by award-winning patient advocate Luan Lawrenson-Woods.
Made in Australia and listened to by people around the world, Rewritten Me supports people making decisions about breast reconstruction, understanding their options, and finding practical support before and after surgery.
Through conversations with breast and reconstructive surgeons, healthcare professionals, allied health experts and people with lived experience, the podcast explores reconstruction options, recovery, scars, lymphoedema, exercise, emotional wellbeing, body image, cost, access, consent and informed decision-making.
Rewritten Me is here to help you ask better questions, understand your options, feel more confident having a say in your care, and decide how you rewrite your story.
Luan Lawrenson-Woods (https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Body Image After Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction
Mastectomy and breast reconstruction can change more than how your body looks. And it can be complex.
How can you prepare for changes to sensation, function, identity and the way you feel in your body?
Luan is joined by body-image researcher Dr Helena Lewis-Smith to explore the emotional adjustment that can happen before and after surgery, and why gratitude for treatment can exist alongside grief for a changed body.
They talk about:
preparing for changes to appearance, sensation and function
the first time you see your chest after surgery
rebuilding trust and appreciation for your body
touch, sex and intimacy after breast surgery
the effects of media and social media on body image
free ways to support a kinder relationship with your body
Helena is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Centre for Appearance Research and developed the Accepting Your Body After Cancer programme.
Where you can find Luan:
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/luanlawriewoods/)
Website (https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/luan-lawrenson-woods-5034403/)
If you’ve found any of the content upsetting, please reach out and get help. Breast Cancer Network Australia (https://www.bcna.org.au/) has a free confidential helpline – 1800 500 258. Beyond Blue (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support) has a range of free resources online, or you can call them 24/7 on 1300 224 636.
The information in this podcast does not constitute medical advice. For personalised medical advice you should seek a consult with a FRACS qualified surgeon (https://plasticsurgery.org.au/information-for-patients/what-does-fracs-mean/) or equally qualified surgeon in your country.
Please read more in our full disclaimer (https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/disclaimer).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
26 Aug 2026
Breast Reconstruction: Medicare, Medical Billing and the Public System
If you’re having breast surgery or reconstruction through Australia’s public health system, what are you entitled to as a public patient, and what should you know before agreeing to use your private health insurance?
Luan is joined by Dr Margaret Faux, one of Australia’s leading experts on Medicare and medical billing law, to unpack how Medicare, medical billing and public hospital care work around breast surgery and reconstruction.
They talk about:
accessing public care for breast cancer and risk reducing surgeries
referrals and waiting lists
what public patients should and shouldn’t be charged for
private health insurance in public hospitals
Medicare rebates for support after surgery
Margaret is the author of How to Avoid the Medical Bill Ripoff.
Where you can find Luan:
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/luanlawriewoods/)
Website (https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/luan-lawrenson-woods-5034403/)
If you’ve found any of the content upsetting, please reach out and get help. Breast Cancer Network Australia (https://www.bcna.org.au/) has a free confidential helpline – 1800 500 258. Beyond Blue (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support) has a range of free resources online, or you can call them 24/7 on 1300 224 636.
The information in this podcast does not constitute medical advice. For personalised medical advice you should seek a consult with a FRACS qualified surgeon (https://plasticsurgery.org.au/information-for-patients/what-does-fracs-mean/) or equally qualified surgeon in your country.
Please read more in our full disclaimer (https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/disclaimer).
CREDITS:
Host & producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods is an award-winning women’s health advocate, speaker and host of the Regarding Me and Rewritten Me podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
29 Jul 2026
Scar Care After Breast Reconstruction
Scars after breast surgery can bring up fear and a lot of questions.
What should they feel like? When can we touch them? And how do you know what’s normal?
Luan speaks with Shannon Chandler, a remedial massage therapist with more than 18 years specialising in post-operative recovery, about scar care, fascia, swelling, movement, lymphatic drainage and how to nurture your scars during healing.
This conversation helps you understand what may be happening beneath the visible scar, why recovery can feel tight or uncomfortable, and how touch may help support comfort and movement around scars, even years later.
We talk about:
what tightness, swelling and unfamiliar sensations may mean
why movement, breath and confidence help recovery so much
questions to ask your surgeon about post-operative care
how to think about recovery support without feeling pressured to spend a fortune
Care note: This episode includes discussion of surgery, surgical procedures, scars, healing and how the body can feel after breast surgery. Please listen when it feels right for you.
Please discuss your individualised scar care, lymphatic drainage, movement, hands-on treatment or any changes to your recovery routine with your surgeon or treating team.
Read more about this episode, meet the guest and find links to resources go to the dedicated Rewritten Me podcast blog page (https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/breast-reconstruction-podcast/scar-care-after-breast-reconstruction).
Where you can find Luan:
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/luanlawriewoods/)
Website (https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/)
LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/luan-lawrenson-woods-5034403/)
If you’ve found any of the content upsetting, please reach out and get help. Breast Cancer Network Australia (https://www.bcna.org.au/) has a free confidential helpline – 1800 500 258. Beyond Blue (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support) has a range of free resources online, or you can call them 24/7 on 1300 224 636.
The information in this podcast does not constitute medical advice. For personalised medical advice you should seek a consult with a FRACS qualified surgeon (https://plasticsurgery.org.au/information-for-patients/what-does-fracs-mean/) or equally qualified surgeon in your country.
Please read more in our full disclaimer (https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/disclaimer).
CREDITS:
Host & producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods is an award-winning women’s health advocate, speaker and host of the Regarding Me and Rewritten Me podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
37
Social presence
94
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
Contact Rewritten Me
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Rewritten Me
Who hosts Rewritten Me?
Luan Lawrie-Woods host the show. Published by Luan Lawrenson-Woods.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Rewritten Me take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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