Anastacia bares mastectomy scars
She says she has finally reclaimed her body.
It's been a tough 13 years for singer Anastacia after she was diagnosed with breast cancer twice, but she says she has now 'reclaimed her body'.
Anastacia made the brave decision to reveal her mastectomy scars for the cover of Fault magazine, giving a frank interview on her cancer, her mastectomy scars and her Strictly injury.
The 'Left Outside Alone' singer discovered she had breast cancer in 2003 after seeing a surgeon to discuss a breast reduction as a preventative measure, two days before the procedure she was asked to have a mammogram.
She recounted her conversation with the surgeon, "I remember saying 'I’m young what are you talking about!?' and he replied 'I just want to check that your tissue is pristine'".
However her tissue wasn't 'pristine' and she was found to have the early stages of breast cancer.
- © Fault Magazine/Andres de Lara*
Anastacia can't emphasis enough how important it is to have a mammogram, saying, "Cancer and death needn’t go hand in hand, if you catch it early you can live with it and seek treatment – it’s not spotting it early enough that’s scary."
After her initial diagnosis in 2003 she was then diagnosed again in 2013 when she underwent a double mastectomy. Since then she says she has been on a mission to regain the femininity stolen by the disease.
In the revealing photoshoot Anastacia shows off her scars with confidence telling the magazine, "My scars are part of my journey and a reminder of all the things I went through with my mastectomy."
Although her scars are larger than she expected, she said, "it was the only way" as she explained the surgeons had to avoid her tattoos.
Anastacia has recently been taking part in Strictly Come Dancing but came under fire after she failed to perform in the dance off due to injury.
When asked about her Strictly injury Anastacia said initially thought she had a sore muscle, but it gradually got worse throughout the day and it turned out to be inflamed scar tissue leaving her in a lot of pain. When she realised she couldn't take part in the dance off, said she was ready to get her things and go, as she "didn't know they had contingencies for occurrences like that".
Last month Anastacia's dance partner was also taken ill and Gorka Marquez stepped in to take his place.
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