Marie-José

Left orbital prosthesis, attached using magnets

“In 2015 in Colmar, I was told that I had a cancerous melanoma in my left eye and that I had to have emergency treatment at the Institut Curie in Paris. I was followed by Dr Laurence Desjardins.

I received proton therapy followed by radiotherapy. She then announced that an orbital exenteration was on the cards. This news was devastating for me and I broke down in tears. How do you go about deciding to lose an eye? Would I lead an independent life afterwards? What would people think when they looked at my face? Why this part of my body?

After the operation, I got up the courage to look at myself in the mirror. Horror of horrors! I couldn’t come to terms with this face or accept it, and throughout the healing process, I hid my eye-socket from other people and myself. Reconstruction via a prosthesis had been planned and implants were fitted by Dr Galatoire at the Rotschild Foundation. Then came the healing process and the hope that I would receive a prosthesis which would cover everything up and stop people staring at me. After check-ups by scanner to make sure that there were no metastases, the long wait after radiotherapy was over at last. In 2018, I contacted the renowned anaplastologist Anne-Marie Riedinger.

I was very pleasantly welcomed and her professionalism really reassured me. I was convinced that I would not be disappointed. After a few sessions, the prosthesis began to take shape. And then came the moment I had been longing for - “the fitting”. After all those months spent asking myself so many questions, it was simply marvellous! Yes, now I accept myself. What a difference! My prosthesis and spectacles gave me an unhoped-for, incredible finishing touch. Thank goodness there’s an artist in this field who can make such a realistic illusion.

I am now a completely different woman. The epithesis has really contributed to giving me heart and helping me accept myself. Thank you Anne-Marie Riedinger.”