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A breast cancer survivor who underwent a double mastectomy now runs topless marathons.
Louise Bernadette Butcher, 50, from Devon, had a double mastectomy last year.
The mother of two was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in April 2022 and therefore underwent two operations to have her breasts removed in June and August.
Just six weeks after her most recent mastectomy, Louise turned her dark experience into something positive and hugely impactful: completing a marathon.
In an effort to stigmatize her body type and empower others who have undergone similar procedures, Louise chose to complete the race topless.
Louise Butcher (pictured) underwent a double mastectomy last year. Now she’s reducing the stigma for cancer survivors by running topless marathons
“It took about six months to go from the person I had breasts to the person I was without breasts,” Louise said. Frida.
Having previously worked in the music industry, Louise found that her self-esteem often depended on her appearance.
“At the time I had quite big breasts and a lot of people commented on it, and I was very attached to the way I looked,” she added.
Now, after her double mastectomy, Louise is trying to challenge the myopic idea that kept her in her twenties.
“I want to show people that just because you lose a part of your body that you think is feminine doesn’t mean you necessarily change as a woman,” Louise said.
She added: ‘It’s about empowering women (to show) that you can be whatever you want to be without them.’
And the route Louise found best to get her message across was to run a marathon topless.
“Being told you might die is just huge because it puts everything into perspective,” Louise said. ‘A woman has more to offer than just the way she looks.’
The mother of two was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer in April 2022 and therefore underwent two operations to have her breasts removed in June and August
Just six weeks after her most recent mastectomy, Louise turned her dark experience into something positive: completing a 26.2 marathon topless
Louise will run topless long distances to empower women and encourage them to believe that femininity does not have to be linked to having breasts
She added, “The reason I go topless is to send the message that this is what I am now, this is what happened to me, and I own it, and I’m proud of it.”
Social media users took to the post to share their thoughts on Louise’s decision.
One said: ‘Wow, this really gave me chills. It put my concerns about my C-scar and hyperpigmentation into perspective! What a woman.’
Another added: ‘What a BRILLIANT way to reclaim your body and help others at the same time. She glows x’
Another added: ‘What a BRILLIANT way to reclaim your body and help others at the same time. She glows x’
Louise found that the loss of her breasts put her through a grieving process, from which it took her six months to recover
Louise has raised awareness of the disease and gained support in the community with her marathon run
Having previously worked in the music industry and performed on stage, Louise often felt judged by her appearance
Social media users flocked to the comments to share their support for Louise and her inspiring hobby
A third wrote: ‘Your message is so empowering that women are much more than just their bodies! Thank you for spreading this message.”
A fourth said: ‘What a fantastic person.’
Another said: ‘You are AMAZING!!! Your pure inspiration and proof of how brave and strong we can become once we leave behind the stereotypes we think define us.”
A sixth wrote: ‘You are so cool Louise! I can’t imagine how liberating this must feel.’