Islander Susie Hazelwood-Hamon, who underwent a mastectomy last year after being diagnosed with breast cancer, says she wanted the world to see her picture to make people ‘stand up and think’ about the illness.
And since the 46-year-old posted the picture on Facebook as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month, which runs throughout October, it has been shared more than 20,000 times across the world including in Australia, Canada, Thailand and Egypt.
Ms Hazelwood-Hamon said that she posed for the photo – taken a year to the day of her mastectomy – to promote the work of Island charity After Breast Cancer, which supported her through her illness, as well as to highlight to women the importance of checking their breasts for lumps.
The mother to Kyle (9), Brandon (16) and Luke (19) said: ‘I’m proud to share my photo.
‘The more publicity we can get to raise awareness the better.
‘As soon as I uploaded it, it just went berserk.
‘The amount of people who I don’t know who have sent me a personal message with such lovely words is amazing.
‘People have said, “I’ve been through the same and seeing this has made me feel so positive”.
‘It is absolutely great, that is exactly why I wanted to do it.
‘It has made such a difference to so many people – I can’t believe it.
‘I didn’t expect for it to get as big as it did.
‘Hopefully, it will make people more aware and get girlies to check their boobies.’
Ms Hazelwood-Hamon, from St Clement, was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2014 and underwent a mastectomy a month later.
When medics discovered cancer in her lymph nodes in October of the same year, she had her lymph nodes removed before undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The Islander, whose mother died from breast cancer at the age of 51 and whose father died from cancer at the age of 56, said she was determined to stay positive throughout her treatment.
‘I’ve got three boys,’ said Ms Hazelwood-Hamon, who runs Mucky Mutz Mobile Grooming.
‘There is no way I was going anywhere.
‘I stayed positive and I think that really helped.
‘What I wanted to do with the picture is to show people in the same predicament that if you stay positive you can get through this and make them think, “If she can do it, I can do it”.’
Ms Hazelwood-Hamon, who hopes to return to work as an instructor at Fitness First as well as to compete in figure fitness – a form of female bodybuilding – shortly, added that she was in the process of setting up a Just Giving web page to raise funds for ABC.
Cheryle Raphaer, chairwoman of ABC, said: ‘It is a very brave thing that Susie has done.
‘It is going to have an impact on breast awareness.
‘From the charity’s point of view anything that raises awareness is amazing.
‘The picture has gone worldwide and shows there is life after cancer.’
- On 23 October a 12-hour spin-athon will be held between 6 am and 6 pm at Fitness First in aid of ABC.
- The gym will be open all day to members and non members.
- Those who would like to take part are asked to dress in pink.
