Mastectomy Acceptance

When Lara was getting ready to have her breasts removed, she invited her friends and I to a body paint project, to come to terms with the changes.

I first met Lara when I painted her pregnant belly, a year before this. She mentioned then that her family had a history of fatal breast cancer and she too had those genes, so she was planning surgery when her baby was old enough.

She had clearly thought this all through, so it was easy for me to be supportive. But still it’s a big change, and she and her friends wanted art to be part of the process.

Before

Lara told us how she was feeling, anticipating this surgery. As she spoke, it was like listening to someone talk about a meaningful dream, with symbolic images. Together, we came up with the metaphor of beautiful falling leaves on a blue-sky sunny day. The sun is her continuing healthy life force, a through-line between the two paintings: what she is choosing by having this operation. The beautiful autumn leaves are the goodbye to her beloved breasts, at the time that is right for her to let them go.

We laughed about using the shape of her nipples to make this bee and ladybug 3D!

Some of her close friends joined in, painting leaves, swirls of ‘the winds of change’ and this winged heart.

She got to be very much part of the party as we painted. There was lots of conversation and laughter (which made her a bit wiggly and difficult to paint, but was worth it!) I find that side conversations take the focus/pressure off me while I’m painting, so I’m more relaxed.

Lara was so happy and glowing by the end, loving looking in the mirror!

“I keep looking at the picture and it makes me so happy. It makes me feel more like this surgery is just part of the cycle of life.

As the day of surgery gets closer (this Monday!) the painting is really helping me cope.”

– Lara S

After

This second painting, after Lara’s breasts were removed, was much more of a group project amongst her friends: I supplied paints, but hardly painted at all.

Lara suggested the theme of growing blossoming flowers with the sunny sky backdrop, but in the end, individual friends expressed themselves however they wanted to. It was most important really for everyone to experience relaxing and accepting her new shape, not feeling weird about it.

“The body painting sessions were a good activity to do during my celebrations. It made the surgery part of a ceremony. The paintings helped my friends and I love and accept my body and the changes I made to it.”

–Lara