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Facebook page (pictured) has already received over 700,000 ‘likes’ and has been shared more than 95,000 times
Good Luck Kelly! From all of us at www.LPCP.org
Kelly Davidson poses for a photo in Ottawa Ont. Friday, April 12, 2013.
A three-time cancer survivor from Ottawa is behind one of the Internet�s latest viral photos. After a double mastectomy, Kelly Davidson opted for a tattoo where her breasts used to be, rather than having reconstructive surgery and her photo of the tattoo has caused an explosion of reaction on Facebook. Tony Caldwell/Ottawa Sun/QMI
Kelly Davidson doesn’t want your pity.
Beautiful and unblemished at 28 years old, she was told the news that would cripple many others.
Diagnosed with breast cancer, a double mastectomy was her only chance to live.
Davidson could have slumped in defeat when she lost her most distinctive badge of womanhood.
But instead, she seized the opportunity to become an advocate for other cancer survivors.
Rather than cover up her scars, she inked them, tattooing a flourishing design on her chest and posting the photo to Facebook, which went viral overnight and garnered support from across the globe.
“Obviously it’s devastating for anyone to lose their breasts, because it defines us as feminine and female, but for me, I embraced it,” said Davidson, who posted the topless photo to the Why We Ink Facebook page.
“I’m still me, I’m still beautiful; I don’t need breasts to feel that way or to portray that to other people.”
Her photo received nearly than 1 million likes and was shared nearly 100,000 times in 48 hours.
Davidson belongs to an exclusive club – what she calls the Cancer World – which is increasingly turning to social media to rally together, share their stories and encourage others not to shy away from what they’ve overcome.
“It’s like a family,” she said. “It’s a club just for us.”
Cancer has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.
Dainty and pixie-like, she embodies a remarkable resilience and strength of will.
She battled and defeated Hopkins Lymphoma when she was just 11 years old, and breast cancer is only the latest shadow to mar her young life.
But she doesn’t want others to look at her forlornly and say how sorry they are for what she’s been through.
“It’s strange because a lot of people have said, ‘Kelly you’ve gone through so much, let it be your turn,’” she explained.
“But that’s just my nature, I love helping other people and that’s why I share my story.”
…for more photos and Kelly’s entire story go to: http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/04/13/im-still-beautiful-cancer-survivors-share-their-stories
