"In our society,
breast cancer is hidden behind
a small pink bow.
The public needs to be
educated."
This is the message behind The Scar Project,
a photography series dedicated to young breast cancer survivors.
Shot by
fashion photographer David Jay, the large-scale portrait endeavor features the
faces and bodies of over 100 women who have battled and bested early-onset
cancer.
As the project's name suggests, the photographs
showcase the many scars of women age 18 to 35 who have undergone mastectomies
as a result of a breast cancer diagnosis. The series shines a spotlight on the
fact that over 10,000 women under the age of 40 will be diagnosed with breast
cancer this year alone -- a stark reality that younger woman often overlook.
Jay's photographs aim to raise awareness of these
breast cancer statistics as well as provide a platform for survivors to
confront their harrowing experiences.
“For these young women, having their
portrait taken seems to represent their personal victory over this terrifying
disease," Jay explains on The Scar Project website. "It helps them
reclaim their femininity, their sexuality, identity and power after having been
robbed of such an important part of it."
Jay began the project after his 29-year-old friend,
Paulina, was diagnosed with breast cancer and subsequently decided to have a
mastectomy.
He asked if he could photograph her after the surgery, and from
there, the project mushroomed, leading to over 100 portraits of various woman
and a Facebook page supported by over 40,000 fans.
The works have been published in a book and, in honor of Breast Cancer
Awareness Month, are currently on on view in an exhibition in Houston.
"Through these simple pictures, [the women]
seem to gain some acceptance of what has happened to them and the strength to
move forward with pride," Jay explained to The Huffington Post.
To
see more Breast Cancer Survivor Photos,
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