An Auckland breast cancer survivor, who recently posted pictures of herself topless online in order to celebrate the gift of life that comes from the decision to have a mastectomy, was just one of the subjects in an exhibition by photographer Lara Boddington which took place in Devonport, Auckland last month.
The exhibition entitled Hope Emerges: A Celebration of Life after Breast Cancer displayed a series of intimate images of women telling their story through the medium of the camera lens.
Friend of BCAC, Nic Russell invited fellow breast cancer survivors to join her and bare all in an effort to demystify mastectomy and breast reconstruction. Women from both Auckland and elsewhere in New Zealand came forward and said they would like to participate in the Hope Emerges project.
Nic is thrilled that other women chose to join her because she wanted other women who’ve been through this experience to help show the diversity of that experience – the different ages, shapes and ethnicities.
"The response I've had to my photos has been huge and overwhelmingly positive. I'm so pleased these other women came forward to do the same thing because the decision they've made to have a mastectomy is a hard one, but it's given them something beautiful - life."
Nic was diagnosed at the age of 31 and had a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the same time as her two-year-old daughter was fighting cancer.
Nic’s daughter sadly died, but when Nic turned 40 this year, she chose to celebrate by having these powerful images taken of herself topless. “These pictures are a celebration of a body after cancer, mastectomy and reconstruction. Too often when you look for images of a mastectomy or reconstructed breasts you see a clinical and stark headless image.
“I wanted to show that my breasts are not horrific, they are beautiful. And I wanted women to know that their scars are well-earned and they tell a story. We are such a body-conscious society but our bodies give us the gift of life and I wanted to celebrate that,” Nic says.
BCAC chair, Libby Burgess, agrees. “These are beautiful images designed to celebrate life and show women who are facing a decision about mastectomy that their bodies can and will be beautiful and strong afterwards.
“We at BCAC applaud Nic for her passion, courage and commitment in wanting to empower other women by showing them that a body after cancer is an incredible thing, not something to be hidden or to be ashamed of,” Libby says.
Hope Emerges has its own website where you can view the images at http://www.hopeemerges.co.nz/
