Breast cancer is a very traumatic experience and even if it is curable in most cases now, you still have to suffer extensive surgery and kemotherapy and counselling. The only hope for survival is to take out the bad tissue, so the only way to do this is the mastectomy. I mean you have to cut one or both your breasts and this alone can be really traumatic. Of course nowadays the plastic surgery is really developed and you can have breast implants that can give you back your appearance as a woman. However, not all women choose this solution and prefer to heal in their own time and terms and do not want to risk getting implants for various reasons: some consider them fake, some others do not want to be reminded of the loss they suffered and many are just afraid they could get sick again if they have implants. Any way, all the women remain with big scars after having mastectomy , so some of them choose to have tattoos to cover the big ugly scars. I discovered a famous tattoo artist that specialized in breast cancer related tattoo art and now has quite an impressive collection of tattoos that she performs either to cover the scars or to remind the people who go to her to get tattooed of the terrible disease that they had to fight. Here is her web site- her name is Pat Fisher - and you will be amazed to see that she combines art with symbolystic and each tattoo has its own significance and meaning.
Usually the women or men who want to have a tattoo after breast cancer choose the symbol of the fight against this disease which is the pink ribbon. You can have it tattooed anywhere and in any shape, as it is very simple and, at the same time, full of significance for the ones having it.In fact that is the exact purpose of the tattoos: to have one as a permanent reminder, to honour someone and to have a special significance. It's just stupid to have a tattoo with no personal meaning, just because all your friends have one or because it's fashionable.
The second picture shows you an idea of such a tattoo where the word "hope" has the final letter wrapped up in a pink ribbon - the symbol of breast cancer fight. The word "hope" is perfectly expressing the feeling of the people who have fought this disease : they are now cured, but they hope they stay healthy and they do not get sick again. It also shows their feelings during the treatment process and describes what kept them fighting: the hope that they can win, that they can beat cancer and go on with their lives.
Most of the people having a tattoo after breast cancer just choose the simple pink ribbon, as there is nothing else to add - it says it all and everybody knows what it means. But again people are different and so are their tattoos.