A cancer patient who had both breasts removed in her 20s is sharing a frank image of her scars in a bid to raise awareness of the reality of mastectomy.
Mother-of-two Michelle Ross, 30, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, had the operation after being diagnosed with stage 3 cancer at the age of 25.
An image of the scars she's been left with from surgery and radiotherapy has been viewed 30,000 times since being posted on her Facebook page.
'It takes a strong person to wake up and see this body every morning and still appreciate the good things in life,' she wrote alongside the image.
'I am living proof of the reality of breast cancer. And I also know some people will hate this picture but I'm not the kind of person to care.
'I am who I am and I'm never going to stop to get people to check their boobies.'
The image shows a long scar across Michelle's stomach where surgeons removed tissue to reconstruct her breast with - a procedure known as a diep flap.
Part of her floral tattoo was also taken away in the process and she had a new belly button built.
There's no nipple on her right breast following a full mastectomy and a scar where surgeons carried out the reconstruction.
On the underside of her left breast, there's a scar from where an implant was inserted.
She also has three small radiotherapy tattoos dotted around her chest.
Michelle hopes that sharing the image will educate people and help others going through cancer.
'I'm not a person to shy away,' she told FEMAIL. 'I've embraced the scars and I've always shown them to raise awareness.
'There is small part of me that looks at them every day and reminds me the reality of the breast cancer journey.
'I do have days they get me down but I need to remember that they had to be there to save my life.
'To me the scars are the reality of breast cancer which is often shied away from.
'Part of me posting the picture aims to help others.
'I always think back to my diagnosis. If I had seen what I've shared it may have helped more in understanding the journey.'
Now, five years on, Michelle has been given the all clear and is preparing to take ownership of her body again by covering her scars with tattoos.
'I'm not ashamed of them, but I'm looking to take control of the decisions on my body rather than having them made for me,' she explained.
Her husband Martin, 30, has set up a crowdfunding appeal to pay for the tattoos, as it's estimated it will take 20 hours of work to cover up the scars, costing £60 an hour.
'Michelle raised money for Breast Cancer Care while she has having her treatment, which was amazing,' Martin said.
'Jayden was three and Ava Mai was 18 months when she was diagnosed.
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