Jan’s story

“In August 2000 at the age of 30, I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and had a tumour the size of a grapefruit behind my breast plate. I underwent 6 months of chemotherapy & then a month of daily radiotherapy. I was told that due to the position of the tumour & radiotherapy, I could be at risk of breast cancer & so I would be screened early.

In 2013 I had some other issues & had to undergo a full hysterectomy.

At the age of 40 I had my first mammogram & luckily for me an MRI, luckily because the mammogram missed the little nasty hiding behind my left nipple! I had no choice but to have a full left breast mastectomy, this was because of the radiotherapy I had received previously, and I wasn’t able to have more. I went into the hospital on Monday morning with breast cancer & by 4 pm that same day I no longer had the cancer, it was all removed. I felt a bit of a fraud as no further treatment was necessary, but I also had lost yet more body parts. My amazing husband joked with everyone that I was trying to leave the marriage bit by bit! It was very much our way of dealing with everything.

I remember so so clearly a few days after the mastectomy Dave telling me I was beautiful & he would rather have only part of me than none of me.

In November 2017 I went into the hospital again, this time for Diep Flap surgery, this was where they removed my right nipple & all the breast tissue, then used my tummy to rebuild my left breast & recreate my right breast.

Luckily again they did this as a few little anomalies showed up on the histology after.

Again Dave & I joked that I got a tummy tuck & new boobs on the NHS. We were still coping.

I was given the option to go into hospital later to have nipples ‘made’ but that was more surgery, I’d had enough. I felt a bit Frankenstein’s monster but still Dave loved me & supported me and life went on.

Fast forward to June 2024, a friend of mine shared a post from her tattoo artist Ellie who was looking for some models for her areola training, I jokingly commented “ooh maybe I should” jokingly as I don’t have tattoos & have never wanted one!! Ellie messaged me, she was so so lovely, even then via messenger. In August we organised that Dave & I would travel to Great Malvern where Ellie was having her training with the wonderful Lucy in November. Prior to this myself & Dave went over to Ellie’s studio to meet face to face, we both loved her instantly, she put me at ease, explained the whole process, Dave was able to have his input too & that was so important to me.

5th November a day I will never forget. We arrived at the studio in Great Malvern, all the artists there were lovely, Dave was made a coffee and the process started. Lucy & Ellie went through the process again, then the drawings were done, once I liked it we got Dave through for his opinion, this really meant a lot to me. Measuring up done the tattooing begun. I had no discomfort at all, my left side I felt nothing & on the right side just a small vibrating feeling. Ellie chatted all the way through, we even had some giggles, even though I was laying back I could already see the amazing work she was doing. Then Ellie was done and it was time to look…

There were tears, so many tears, of complete & utter joy. I could not believe how ‘normal’ I now looked. All I could see were these fantastic nipples, I didn’t see the scars anymore. Ellie’s aftercare information was also amazing.

All the way home I kept looking down my top & giggling. Poor Dave. After a week of them being covered I needed to rub special balm on twice a day for a week or so, this became Dave’s job, so selfless.

For a good few weeks afterwards (I’m still doing it) I get out of the shower & have a good look, I flash Dave every opportunity I get. I had honestly not realised how affected I actually had been by the surgeries & by the body part removals. I feel like me again, Dave has got me back and we will both be forever grateful to Ellie for that.”