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Modelling our post-surgery bras…Ami Shirley
Posted by Claire Boote, on August 21, 2023. Tags: Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Awareness
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
What do you love most about your body?
“I love my lips and often get complimented on my smile. I tend to laugh and joke a lot which means I’m smiling often. I never thought about my legs much but I’m now enjoying wearing shorts and showing them to the sun! [After chemotherapy] I’m now free to reinvent myself based on how I feel, not on my age, size or how perfect/imperfect my body is.“
How did you feel about your body before and after your surgery?
“I used to love my boobs and then I struggled during and after my operation with the subsequent scar and shape alteration. I also had patches and blemishes all over my body and I remember crying when I passed a mirror.
“But then, I looked at my reflection and slowly I began to feel sorry for myself and not disappointed or disgusted. I saw the Ami who had been through so much trauma and yet here was her body being amazing and still surviving. Childbirth, menopause and cancer had all taken their toll, and still this body wasn’t giving up.
“I went from surviving to thriving to now celebrating! I’m glad to say I’m free again to fall back in love with my boobs. I’m seeing that beauty is beyond my physical body and is linked to my own inner peace.”
What advice would you give to anyone self-conscious or unconfident about their own body?
“Self-love and self-acceptance are key to self-confidence and body positivity. Our own experiences, our backgrounds and expectations all feed into our perception and self-belief. It’s important to see that we can also change those perceptions and expectations.
“We are more than our bodies – it’s our energy, our smile, our joy, how we stride, how we move and how we hold our heads up. Aligning ourselves to our inner strengths eventually leads to how we feel about our bodies.”
Ami is loving…
Comfi-Bra Blush: “I have never worn something so comfortable next to my skin! The front-fastening makes it so easy to slip on. The skin tone colour goes with so many layers and colours – it goes with paler and darker skin tones too.
“[When I first wore it] I felt inspired to keep the shirt unbuttoned. I loved how the bra looked fab with my outfit but it was not just lingerie to be hidden, it could be shown. I had never felt comfortable before to do this, not even in my 30s! It was an empowering experience I’ll never forget.”
