A campaign dedicated to empowering women who’ve undergone a single or double mastectomy, through styling, makeup and illustrative body art.
Photographer Alison McMath on the left, with participant Jean.
The concept, designed by makeup artist Anya Pogodzinska and photographer Alison McMath, utilises their experience in the photography and cosmetics industry to create magnificent visual masterpieces of the women, to celebrate life and find beauty and uniqueness in everyone.
The project which started in February 2022, has received tremendous support - from those participating, their family, friends, and the public. Anya and Alison are on a mission to transform and photograph more than 40 women from all over the country who have signed up to participate, from Folkstone to Glasgow, after the project was shared on a Facebook page called Flat Friends.
Alison and Anya are passionate about creating a memorable experience for the women, which is completely free. It involves personalised body art and styling, by artist Anya Pogodzinska, followed by a tailored photoshoot, themed according to the women's personal stories and favourite colours, while being adapted to their level of comfort. The women receive a beautiful print as a memento of their day, enabling them to feel more beautiful and confident about themselves.
Anya and Alison estimate it will take about two years to photograph the 40 women and hope to continue their work through fund raising. They donate their time and resources for free to create this inspiring and wonderful project, and have launched a JustGiving page with the aim of raising £10,000 to cover the costs of materials, hair styling and makeup products, printing, transport, refreshments, studio running costs and marketing. Anything above this amount will be donated to a breast cancer charity.
Alison comments: “The photoshoot experience helps the women to feel beautiful and empowered. When they look at their photographs, I hope it gives them strength and positivity. We wanted to do this because women who have faced breast cancer and had to undergo mastectomy, often struggle to connect and accept their changed body. It feels unfamiliar to them, less attractive, less feminine, less sexy. With this project we wanted to help them rebuild that connection, make them feel confident and beautiful, make them feel themselves again”.
Anya comments on her inspiration for the project: “I wanted to create a beauty project for women for a while and the subject of mastectomy struck a chord. I lost my grandmother to cancer as a teenager and saw how she fought the disease that took so much from her, but which never broke her spirit. It changes a person and the family around them and can make you lose your sense of self. Creating such a special experience for women who suffered, as well as their families, bringing them so much joy.
Alison and Anya plan to have a gallery exhibition including charity fundraising at the end of the project to celebrate the empowerment of women who have undergone mastectomies, inspire others, and give people a better understanding of mastectomies. Anya and Alison have also been working on a calendar featuring all the magnificent photos from the project with a portion of the profits being donated to a Breast cancer charity.
Claire Lewis story from York
"Life after cancer is hard! It left me feeling conflicted…most importantly in regard to the changes in my body confidence. I had my hair, make up and spectacular body art done in Alison’s home studio and the day was fun and celebratory. I think the photographs show the glorious strength, beauty and courage of women that have been through cancer. I wanted to take part and share my image to show that we are still beautiful even if we have been taken apart and then rebuilt (if we’ve chosen that option). I think the images are inspiring to others in similar circumstances to feel beautiful about themselves and focus on the women they are, rather than forever mourning the loss of our diseased body part.
I felt amazing and for a while my lopsided boobs were embraced as objects to be celebrated."
Debbie’s story
"Mastectomies, Chemotherapy, Cancer - three words that do not radiate beauty, joy nor confidence. They are difficult topics to deal with and it takes two very special people to tackle these subjects bringing their talents and expertise into a world of Illness that is characterised with sterile white hospital environments and turn it completely on its head to bring a riot of colour, hopefulness , confidence and fun into the lives of cancer patients.
In Spring 2022 I was knee deep in eight rounds of chemotherapy after a mastectomy the previous autumn. I had 15 cycles of radiotherapy ahead and had totally lost count of all my hospital visits, scans, tests and the never-ending treadmill of “cancer stuff”. One day scrolling through one of my cancer chat groups I saw a photograph that stopped me in my tracks. It was jaw dropping, visually striking, had such depth and creativity and the lady in it so beautiful and I was blown away when I realised this incredible model had a mastectomy on display. Such empowerment, positivity, beauty, strength and vibrancy.
As a mother of three young girls, a wife, a lover, a friend, a sister ... I wanted to embrace and promote a project that gave cancer patients an opportunity to express their true self via colour, favourite possessions, personality and their passions, not just being defined by an illness.
The project celebrates the beauty & uniqueness of women in the most powerful way and lifts us sky high at the moment in our lives where we are at rock bottom. I do not want to be defined by cancer but I do want to be defined by the outstanding images Alison & Anya gifted to me. The project has gifted this empowerment to many women and I hope it continues to inspire all people that even in adversity there is beauty and hope (with a sprinkle of mischief)"