Under general anesthesia, breast reduction surgery typically takes two to three hours to complete. It entails excising extra skin, glandular tissue, and fat from the breast, repositioning the nipple, and finally contouring the breast.
While some parents might be hesitant to watch their daughter have an operation like this, Galligan’s mother, Holly, had undergone a reduction herself, which Galligan claimed made the decision to proceed with the surgery simpler.
After a six-week recuperation following the surgery, Galligan took a flight to Canada to embark on a tour with the England under-20 team.
“My first run post-surgery felt so light, like I could jump and actually move my body,” she stated. “I really did feel like a different person.
I was lighter than a feather and could stand taller with just one bra on.”
However, she regrets not being completely honest with her coaches about the operation due to taboos surrounding the topic.
“You’re meant to build yourself back into it gradually but I didn’t feel I had that time,” she stated. “I didn’t prepare my body for the demands of rugby, so I did my back in the first scrum. I thought I’d be able to play international rugby again.”
