Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/85232
028: pinkfeature the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Laila is particularly proud of her work done with and for women through politics, trade union leadership and the nurse's organisation that resulted in significant improvements in nurses pay in the public health system which then trickled through the private and primary health care system. "To have been able to work with our 20,000 nurses in the public health sector to achieve an improvement in their pay which has led to better retention of nurses was a rare privilege. "Being involved in politics is as much about enjoying the process of working with others to achieve a goal as it is about the issues, so I'm very keen to promote the notion of healthy workplaces and the importance of people feeling good about going to work each day or volunteering for the issues we believe in. Sometimes politics can be quite punishing. It's important that we make it fun and that we give people things to do which they enjoy doing." www.greens.org.nz WHAT ARE EXPANDER IMPLANTS? A tissue expander is a temporary device that is placed on the chest wall deep to the pectoralis major muscle. This may be done immediately following the mastectomy, or as a delayed procedure. The purpose of the expander is to create a soft pocket to contain the permanent implant. Tissue expanders are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. You are an ideal candidate for expander implant post mastectomy reconstruction if you: - have no available flap options - do not desire a flap operation - do not have compromised tissue at the mastectomy site - have no history of previous radiation to the breast or chest wall - are having prophylactic mastectomies - want bilateral reconstruction - are of a reasonable size and body weight - agree to have an operation on the opposite breast to help improve symmetry You are not an ideal candidate for expander implant post mastectomy reconstruction if you have: - compromised tissue at the mastectomy site (numerous surgeries or infection) - been previously radiated (refer to effects of radiation) - advanced disease - autoimmune disease (may be a contraindication for gel-filled implants) - a Body Mass Index greater than 30 Photo courtesy of intermountainhealthcare.org