In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, here is Frankenboobies, a work by Rebecca Martz-Burley aka NDBex. She created this embroidery as a way of helping purge her discomfort with her mastectomy scars. In a personal note, she told me,
I created the piece from a self-portrait that I did in 2006 in an effort to stop feeling shame about my mastectomy scars. I did not have cancer, but had all the signs of getting it, close family history and personal battles with breast problems. Sometimes my scars peek through my tank tops and I used to be so self conscious of it. Now I don’t ever notice them.
I have many friends and family members who are breast cancer survivors, and one personal friend who–like Rebecca–must consider a preemptive mastectomy. Efforts like Bex’s bring the challenges of survival out of the shadows and honor them. While any alteration to our bodies is difficult to cope with, to say the least, I think the battle scars of survivors should be honored as badges of courage. Thank you so much, Bex, for sharing this deeply personal experience with others.
See more views of the embroidery at Bex’s flickr photostream.
Words escape me. Thanks for sharing NDBex’s courage.
X-rays, MRIs, mammograms and ultra sounds cannot see the soul but this piece does.
Such a touching piece. Bex is a strong, smart, funny and brave lady who I’m honored to count as a friend. Thanks for featuring this piece, Denise.
I am touched to tears. Thank you for sharing.
Rebecca, this is truly I touchy subject for me. I am 23 years old and my mom just celebrated her 6 year anniversary of being breast cancer free! She also had a double mastectomy as well as radiation, chemotherapy and all the surgeries for reconstruction. I wanted to take the time to thank you for being brave enough to express this personal matter as it has helped me see that so many others, even some who didn’t have cancerous cells, are feeling the discomfort that my mom is feeling. This picture has inspired me to continue to do my part in spreading awareness even though October is gone.