Woman covers double mastectomy scars with Wonder Woman tattoo
Nothing can stop Stephanie Kelly, not even the chance of cancer.
The 42-year-old mother of four watched her mother battle breast cancer twice, most recently in 2015. So when she tested positive for the BRCA 1 gene, she made the "easy decision" to undergo a preventative double mastectomy to prevent getting cancer.
According to the National Breast Cancer Institute, BRCA significantly increases the risk of both breast and ovarian cancers, accounting for about twenty-five percent of "hereditary" breast cancers. Furthermore, those with the BRCA gene are more likely to develop mutations at a younger age. Stars like Angelina Jolie and Christina Applegate are all carriers of the BRCA gene -- like Kelly, no one is immune.
My famous self here... getting ready for a big ol needle in my spine
A post shared by stephanie jane kelly 🕇 (@stephanie_jane_kelly) on Oct 17, 2017 at 6:29am PDT
"With the family history and just my general luck about things, I'd always expected breast cancer to play some role in my life. It would have been a great surprise if it had been negative, but I completely expected to hear it was positive. The genetic counselor joked that she'd never had someone be so calm and matter-of-fact about positive results before," Kelly recounted to People about her diagnosis.
For her, losing her breasts was a "small sacrifice" to what could happen if she kept them. But when it came time to decide what to do after her mastectomy, she didn't consider reconstructive surgery -- instead, she went opted for a big Wonder Woman tattoo.
Session #3 Get yerself a tattoo shop like mine.
A post shared by stephanie jane kelly 🕇 (@stephanie_jane_kelly) on Aug 10, 2017 at 12:35pm PDT
She said to People, "I have always loved Wonder Woman, and during this time I began to joke that I was going to be like Wonder Woman and be strong and unfazed by the things I needed to do that scared me. Friends and family sent me little gifts of Wonder Woman figurines, cards, clothes, even a full robe. It all helped me feel stronger and it was a way to feel all the love and support I had and bring that along with me."
The heroic image extends past Kelly's chest and down onto her torso. It took Kelly multiple sessions to complete the tattoo -- but the representation is worth it. "I have this image of strength, power and fearlessness across my chest and that continues to build me up. I see my scars now as entirely positive."
You can read the rest of her inspirational story at People.
h/t People
Related: Hollywood gets real about breast cancer
