Reclaim

‘It’s me claiming me back from cancer, my way. Not the consultant’s way, not the plastic surgeons way. My way.’ Explains Elaine on her decision to get a mastectomy tattoo We spoke and photographed many women on their journeys after Cancer. Exhibited here are Elaine, Jill, Sarah G and Kerry. Each of the women has had their own unique conflict with cancer, but all found power and new lease of life through body art. We all wear our scars as living proof of what we have experienced and overcome. For breast cancer survivors these scars represent a complex journey. For many women, losing their breasts feels like they are losing part of their female identity. This rings true for both women who have chosen reconstruction and those who opted out. They often feel a disconnection to their bodies after surgery, left with scars that are a constant reminder of the trauma they have been through. As Sarah B shares: ‘The horror of what happened to me in the last 12 years was seeing the scars every day. ’ The tattoos are a way for survivors to make reclaim something painful and make it powerful. Sarah continues: ‘Just seeing my body for the first time with tattoos, it was so empowering. Those scars are important as they remind you what you have been through, but now the ink makes them beautiful.’ These tattoos are the start of a new collective narrative. They are a visual record of these women’s lives and the battles they have overcome. Their individual struggle is unknowable, but they are united through their ink. They have reclaimed agency over their bodies, and redefined what beauty means to them. Each tattoo marks a journey of resilience, gratitude and a newfound self-love. Or as Sarah G puts it: ‘It’s beyond a physical thing; it’s a psychological change, and a change for the better.’ Words and Art Direction: Gem Fletcher Photographs: Kate Peters / CRXSS Agency