Cancer Memorial Tattoos

In 2003, at 23 years old, I was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. I received chemo, radiation, bilateral mastectomies, and full reconstructive implant surgery.
In 2005 my cancer return with mets to my spine. I had more radiation and surgery to removed the tumor, vertebrea T11, and a rib.They reconstructed the missing spine with the rib and lots of metal.
In 2005 I got a breast cancer survivor tattoo after finishing all my treatments and surgeries and wanting something to comemorate my battle and help bring comfort to the fact that I was now facing terminal cancer at only 25.
The tattoo helped me to gain closure to the past few horrible years,prepare me for the next ones, and help remind me of the beauty I still had despite having so much taken from my body and mind; and it showed strangers who happened to notice it, that at such a young age it is still possible to have breast cancer. "Cancer does not discriminate" so dont ever ignore symptoms or think it wont happen to you.
I want to show that there are endless ways to show support to people who have or have had cancer and that ultimately we still have control of our body and we can still make it look beautiful, despite scars, loss of hair, radiation burns, loss of a breast or other body part, etc.
Cancer is not who we are, its just another bump in the road of life and we get to chose if it makes us or breaks us.