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BREAST CANCER YOU ARE ENOUGH. CONFIDENCE BY NICOLE HEROUX WILLIAMS I PHOTOS BY MICHAELA RAES BY NSP STUDIO
It’s hard enough for many women to love the body they were born into unconditionally. When a breast cancer diagnosis comes along and causes unwanted changes to their bodies, this challenge is significantly amplified for many women. Amongst the numerous hardships and losses brought about by a breast cancer diagnosis/treatment, our confidence should not be another casualty of this battle. Unfortunately, many Rochester women are at risk of experiencing these concerns due to the elevated incidence of breast cancer in our region. In Monroe County, the rate of new breast cancer diagnoses is 1.13 times higher than the national average. With an elevated rate of breast cancer in the area, many women in Rochester have either been personally impacted by the disease, or know someone who has. As a breast cancer survivor, I understand the selfconsciousness that accompanies this disease. With the help of a positive outlook, an incredible support system, and a phenomenal friend and photographer, I developed a sense of security in my changed body, and I want other women to be able to experience this life-changing shift in perspective. For this reason, I partnered with The Photography Experience to create the Breast Cancer Confidence Project, an empowerment campaign and community 70
ROCHESTER WOMAN ONLINE : APRIL EDITION 2022
of support. Our mission is to encourage other women impacted by breast cancer to develop love and appreciation for their bodies. My name is Michaela, and in March 2020 I was diagnosed with a rare and
While survival would seem to be a more pleasant thought to focus on, I often found myself similarly overwhelmed by the unknown physical and emotional challenges that could be awaiting me. Like so many women, I had spent much of my life fighting an uphill battle against my negative self-image, and one of my biggest fears was that my treatments and surgeries would compromise any progress that had been made. I remember worrying that I would never feel sexy or confident in my life – that I would never fully love and embrace my body, all because of my condition. Unfortunately, far too many women face similar challenges to their confidence or sense of self in the aftermath of a breast cancer diagnosis/treatment. As our bodies begin to change and we start to see the consequences of this disease appear on ourselves, the emotional burden can feel devastating and insurmountable. For some, these struggles may be ongoing and reappear throughout life after treatment.
aggressive type of breast cancer. I was just 28 years old when I received this completely unexpected news, and it prompted a surge of complex fears and uncertainties. As one would imagine, there was an overwhelming amount of anxiety that my disease could compromise my chances of having a future at all.
When we get caught up in this false and negative narrative about our bodies, it can make it difficult for us to recognize our strength. Continuously viewing ourselves with the same cracked lens makes it hard to change that script in our minds. Replacing that lens with a new one helps us see our bodies from a different perspective, which in turn can allow us to realign our
