About Us

Alessandra Canal graduated from the University of Auckland School of Medicine then trained as a plastic surgeon, achieving fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

She underwent further training at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, England. This was followed by Breast & Hand Reconstruction Fellowships in Paris, Belgium and America in MD Anderson Houston and Nashville, Tennessee. After working back in New Zealand she returned to Britain as a specialist plastic surgeon in the National Health Service at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. There she worked in both public and private hospitals.

Returning to New Zealand in 2008 for family reasons she elected to work in public at Middlemore Hospital.

Alessandra Canal is an affiliated member of the following associations: New Zealand College of Plastic Surgeons, Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Meredith is a fully New Zealand trained Plastic and Reconstructive surgeon who holds a consultant Plastic Surgeon position at Middlemore Hospital. She is one of only a handful of female Plastic Surgeons in New Zealand, and the only one in Private Practice in Auckland and Gisborne; thus she can offer a unique perspective to reconstructive challenges and cosmetic questions. She is one of the few surgeons able to provide all aspects of breast reconstructive options in the private sector.

Mike is a Consultant Radiologist at Auckland Breast Centre, Canopy Imaging and BreastScreen Waitemata Northland. He has a special interest in breast imaging and intervention, and has been involved in mammography for over 25 years. 

He performs image-guided intervention including hookwire placements, stereotactic and MRI guided biopsies. Mike came to New Zealand in 1978 from Zimbabwe, and has had many roles in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

Richard is a breast surgeon with appointments at North Shore Hospital and Auckland Breast Centre. He completed his surgical training in Auckland then undertook fellowship positions at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, in Sydney, and the Mayo Clinic, in the USA.

Over the last 10 years he has developed the Breast Clinic at North Shore Hospital and treated over 1000 women with breast cancer in the public and private sectors. Active involvement with research has lead to a thorough understanding of breast cancer treatment.

Richard is an active member of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Breast Section and is on the medical committee of the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.  He is married with three children.

Sandhya is a graduate of Otago Medical school, Dunedin.  She completed her surgical training in New Zealand and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons(FRACS).  She is also a Member of Breast Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand and a member of the New Zealand Association of General surgeons.  Sandhya is passionate about surgical education and research and to complement her expertise in oncoplastic breast surgery, she has completed a Masters degree in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery from the University of Sydney, Australia. 

Outside of work Sandhya has three children that keep her active.  She enjoys dancing at a professional level and also enjoys cooking, hiking and travelling.

Helen is a consultant radiologist at Auckland Breast Centre and also works at North Shore Hospital and BreastScreen Waitemata Northland.  She is a general radiologist with a special interest in breast imaging including screening and diagnostic mammography.  She performs image-guided intervention, including hookwire placements and ultrasound and stereotactic guided biopsies.

MB BS 1982 Lond; DRANZCR 1987; FRANZCR 1992