Kelly Scudder and Kady, her Labrador retriever, were diagnosed around the same time. Veteranarians found Kady had a hereditary disease called elbow dysplasia.

It's a minor problem compared to Kelly's diagnosis. The Pittsford mother learned she had a tumor in her right breast. In February, doctors did a partial mastectomy to remove what they found to be cancer.

"Just hearing the word mastectomy - it's weird," said Kelly. "I really never got my mind around 'oh, i have cancer.'"

She wasn't thinking about getting her breast back.

"I didn't know anything about it, and I wouldn't have researched about it. At that point, I'm thinking I want the cancer taken out of my body. Do what you can to fix it," said Kelly. "I think i lucked out by finding him."

Kelly's surgeon referred her to Dr. Stephen Vega. He specializes in a method of breast reconstruction that's becoming more popular in Rochester. It's giving breast cancer patients hope.

"The reality is a lot of patients don't know their options. They really think they don't have options, and they're so scared from the diagnosis, they're not sure what to do," said Dr. Vega, the director of breast reconstruction at Unity Hospital.

Some of the procedures Vega offers are micro-surgeries. They involve making a breast with skin, fat and blood vessels from other parts of a patient's body, like a thigh or abdomen.

In Kelly's case, she had a "tummy tuck." The tissue taken from her abdomen was removed and used to reconstruct her breast. Vega performed the surgery just three months after the tumor was removed.

"I wanted it that way. It seemed less traumatic. It's like nothing went away. It was put right back at the same time," said Kelly.

"This tissue's so natural, it really becomes part of them, and i think it helps in psychological recovery of the patient," said Dr. Vega.

Vega says recovery time is quicker than other breast reconstruction surgeries that involve artificial implants, and the natural implants last longer. He says the surgery also helps women recover emotionally as they're healing physically.

"This is something they're doing so they can wear normal clothes and go out and have dinner, see their friends, and do activities without having to worry about putting a prosthesis in, or worrying about what clothes they're going to wear to avoid looking like they've had a mastectomy," said Dr. Vega.

Six months later, Kelly is feeling good. She's back to doing what she loves: Sewing, running, being a mom and wife, and playing with Kady.

"You have something good come out of something bad," said Kelly. "'Oh, I'll probably look better than I did before!'"

As for Kady, she has to live with her disease, but she seems to be doing just fine, helping her owner on her road to recovery.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm cured," said Kelly.

Kelly says she does have some numbness in her abdomen, and she couldn't exercise for about a month after the surgery. But overall, she's happy with the results. She plans to return to Dr. Vega for some final work to be done in January.

Vega not only works at Unity, he has a private practice in Pittsford. Since opening a year ago, he has operated on 150 breast cancer patients.