New Normal
Learning to love my body as it heals
I know that beauty is skin deep, but my spirit took a hard hit and we are only beginning to rediscover the feminine goddess within.
Chanel Garrett
October 4, 2020
Sponsored by:
That’s what For the Breast of Us founders Jasmine Souers and Marissa Thomas asked themselves when they were diagnosed with breast cancer at 26 and 35. Not a quick Google search nor a hashtag was available to help them connect to other young survivors of color.
This year, For the Breast of Us gave #BreastCancerBaddies the opportunity to go #Naked4BC and be the women they once searched for after their breast cancer diagnosis. And more than simply sharing photos of their bodies, these Baddies are sharing the often overlooked aspect of breast cancer journeys: the impact of cancer on their body image and sense of self.
It is our hope that women of color affected by breast cancer will be inspired, encouraged, and validated as they explore images and personal experiences of these incredible women.
I know that beauty is skin deep, but my spirit took a hard hit and we are only beginning to rediscover the feminine goddess within.
But what I’ve come to realize is that I was only interested in “being” Tova 2.0 and not “becoming” Tova 2.0.
After lots of grounding and affirming, I had to fix my crown and remember who I am and whose I am!
I was then hit with the insta-browsing realization that everyone who has had breast cancer or a preventive mastectomy is in my tribe. Not because I found the #unilateralmastectomy, with gorgeous bodies flaunting all kinds of styles.
I had become the patient; he became the caregiver. He saw me differently. Fragile. In pain. Suffering. All I wanted was to be loved in every way — to be a wife, a lover, a sexual being.
I used to not want to take pictures from the chest down because of how I felt I looked. Now that I am two years out, it has gotten a lot better.
As my physical wounds heal, I find myself counting my scars, and tracing them with my fingers. But, rather than seeing mutilation, I see new life lines and possibilities in those scars.
Flaw + Awesomeness = FlawSomeness a great combination of words that has allowed me to embrace my keloid scar as being a part of what I call my Shade of Pink Story.
The first word that comes to mind when I think of my post-cancer body is “journey.”
Journey is the word used to define the complete treatment plan that a breast cancer patient must take, but what I didn’t realize is that each part of the breast cancer experience has its own journey.
Order the print edition of our Naked Truth campaign to explore stories and imagery of women of color affected by breast cancer and their perspective on their post-cancer bodies.
6 Responses
This is so badass, I see some familiar faces for the Bay – hey hey Alea and Alicia!
xo, Monica Haro
This is beautiful!
I am so excited for The Naked Truth Project!! When I was diagnosed as making surgical decisions, a collection of images of Black and Brown bodies, bodies of WOC who had experienced Breast cancer didn’t exist or wasn’t readily found. I am so grateful that moving forward that ALL of US will see representation within the breast cancer community!
This project was just what I needed to get to the next level. I read each Queen’s quote and never felt so connected and empowered by a community.
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I love this. It makes me want to cry. Being able to recognize yourself in others is so important in this process. Reminds you that you are not alone ❤️
I am so overwhelmed at all of the greatness that I have seen and read about.
I would love to be a part of something so meaningful. I am a 10 year cancer survivor that had a reoccurrence in March 2025. It hit differently this time tho. I researched for several
Weeks and only found ONE book on Afro-American women body issues after breast cancer. I would love to be a part of this as we need this.
deborahallen111@gmail.com