I never thought I would be a physician and, in fact, started my career as an accountant. I was happy but not fulfilled, and I did not know why until I was unexpectedly introduced to the world of cancer care. There, I found a path to more than career fulfilment; I found my life’s work. As a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, I have the privilege of making people whole after injury or cancer treatment distorts part of their body and, invariably, its function. My training allows me to blend principles of microsurgical reconstruction with those of aesthetics in a wide range of procedures—from appearance-enhancing cosmetic surgery to complex cancer reconstruction involving bone, soft tissue and the lymphatic system.