When Dana Donofree
was just 27 years old, she was diagnosed with Infiltrative Ductal
Carcinoma, a common type of breast cancer. Thankfully, after undergoing a
double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, and months of chemotherapy,
Dana came out on top. But when the time came to decide whether or not to
get nipple reconstruction surgery, Dana says it just didn't seem like
the right thing for her.
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"I wasn't really sure at
first," Dana remembers. "I already had gotten implants and replaced
another part of my body, so to take it to the next step, wasn't where I
wanted to be."
So
instead of going through the operation, the now 33-year-old lingerie
designer opted to create her own tattoos so that she could tell the
story of her breast cancer journey the way that she wanted to. After
weeks of exploring possible designs and searching for the perfect
artist, Dana decided on a lotus flower for her arm and a cherry blossom
tree tattoo that extends from her back to her rib cage and reconstructed
breasts.
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"I knew I wanted a 'tree
of life' and that's where I came across inspiration for the cherry
blossom, which represents the fragility of life and also rebirth," she
says. "I have a personal connection to them."
Even though many doubted
her choice at first, Dana says she knew instantly when she looked in the
mirror for the first time with her tattoos that she had made the right
decision. It was all about reclaiming her body and confidence—and that's
exactly what they did.
"I didn't like looking at
myself and seeing scars, it reminded me of what I had been through. I am
worlds more confident now," she explains. "When I look at myself, I
don't see cancer now, I see something else."
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