"I am very proud of the way I look." -Lisa Smith, a breast cancer survivor from Gorham who saw that she was beautiful even without reconstructive surgery GORHAM, Maine — In most cultures, a woman's breasts are considered a sign of beauty, femininity, and sensuality. When a woman gets breast cancer and needs a mastectomy, the loss of one or both of her breasts can be traumatic. Some women decide to have their breasts surgically rebuilt while others opt not to.