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Defiant cancer patients reveal surgery scars in moving photo series

  • Juliet Fitzpatrick, 57, from Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast in 2016. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    1/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Juliet Fitzpatrick, 57, from Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast in 2016. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    Yahoo Style UK
  • Steve McAllister, 67, from Cardiff, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    2/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Steve McAllister, 67, from Cardiff, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Donna Anken, 44, from Manchester, was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2015. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    3/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Donna Anken, 44, from Manchester, was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2015. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

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    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • Cory Clayton, 24, from Newcastle, was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in 2015 and has a titanium rod fitted in his leg, replacing his thigh bone. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    4/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Cory Clayton, 24, from Newcastle, was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in 2015 and has a titanium rod fitted in his leg, replacing his thigh bone. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Tasha Jilka, 27, from Leicester, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before her 18th birthday.<em> [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    5/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Tasha Jilka, 27, from Leicester, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before her 18th birthday. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Deborah James, 38, also from London, has bowel cancer and is known on social media as “Bowel Babe”. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    6/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Deborah James, 38, also from London, has bowel cancer and is known on social media as “Bowel Babe”. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • Caroline Caffrey, 58, from Brighton, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    7/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Caroline Caffrey, 58, from Brighton, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Angela Crossland, 46, from Buckinghamshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    8/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Angela Crossland, 46, from Buckinghamshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Alison Meaton, 59, West Cornwall, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer when she was 48.<em> [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    9/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Alison Meaton, 59, West Cornwall, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer when she was 48. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • Alice-May Purkiss, 30, from London, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 26. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    10/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Alice-May Purkiss, 30, from London, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 26. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Thomasina McGuigan, 45, from Portsmouth, was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive breast cancer at the age of 20. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    11/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Thomasina McGuigan, 45, from Portsmouth, was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive breast cancer at the age of 20. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Steve McAllister, 67, from Cardiff, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    12/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Steve McAllister, 67, from Cardiff, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • Sherry McGill, 44, from Bedford, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in April 2017. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    13/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Sherry McGill, 44, from Bedford, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in April 2017. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Samantha Evans, 42, from Norfolk, was diagnosed in 2015 with triple negative breast cancer. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    14/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Samantha Evans, 42, from Norfolk, was diagnosed in 2015 with triple negative breast cancer. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Stella Bradley, 53, from Shropshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    15/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Stella Bradley, 53, from Shropshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
  • Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

    Yahoo News is better in the app

    Keep up to speed at a glance with the Top 10 daily stories

  • Mark Douglas, from London, has thyroid cancer and received a scar on his neck during surgery. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
    16/16

    One of sixteen men and women who have bared their scars as part of a project called 'Defiance'.

    Mark Douglas, from London, has thyroid cancer and received a scar on his neck during surgery. [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]
    PA
Juliet Fitzpatrick, 57, from Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast in 2016. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Steve McAllister, 67, from Cardiff, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Donna Anken, 44, from Manchester, was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2015. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Cory Clayton, 24, from Newcastle, was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in 2015 and has a titanium rod fitted in his leg, replacing his thigh bone. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Tasha Jilka, 27, from Leicester, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before her 18th birthday.<em> [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Deborah James, 38, also from London, has bowel cancer and is known on social media as “Bowel Babe”. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Caroline Caffrey, 58, from Brighton, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Angela Crossland, 46, from Buckinghamshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Alison Meaton, 59, West Cornwall, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer when she was 48.<em> [Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Alice-May Purkiss, 30, from London, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer in 2015 at the age of 26. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Thomasina McGuigan, 45, from Portsmouth, was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive breast cancer at the age of 20. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Steve McAllister, 67, from Cardiff, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Sherry McGill, 44, from Bedford, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in April 2017. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Samantha Evans, 42, from Norfolk, was diagnosed in 2015 with triple negative breast cancer. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Stella Bradley, 53, from Shropshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Mark Douglas, from London, has thyroid cancer and received a scar on his neck during surgery. <em>[Photo: Ami Barwell/PA Wire]</em>
Francesca Specter
·Yahoo Style UK deputy editor

Cancer patients have revealed their surgery scars as part of a new photo series aiming to depict the “gritty and raw reality” of the illness.

Some 16 men and women took part in the “Defiance” project, released as part of Cancer Research UK and Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer fundraising campaign.

Photographer Ami Barwell, who took the images, called the project an “act of rebellion”.

She said: “Cancer isn't pretty, it can be dark, painful and destructive. But we aren't playing to cancer's rules. These people are strong, beautiful and, most of all, defiant.”

READ MORE: Women ditch their bras for breast cancer awareness

Barwell previously shot the “Mastectomy” project in 2017, which was inspired by her mother undergoing the surgery after suffering from breast cancer twice.

She said: “My previous Mastectomy series was inspired by my mum, who has had breast cancer twice, and a mastectomy, so this was a subject very close to my heart.

“I wanted to raise as much awareness for breast cancer as possible, showing women baring their scars in a series of gritty and honest portraits. I received emails from women worldwide explaining how my photographs had inspired them and given them strength.

READ MORE: Two women with incurable breast cancer set up 'Secondary Sisters' support group

“For many, these were the first photographs they'd seen showing women post-mastectomy as beautiful, sexy, strong and amazing. I knew I had to carry on raising awareness with Stand Up To Cancer and empowering people through my photographs.”

One in two people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime, according to the NHS. In the UK, the four most common types of cancer are breast cancer; lung cancer; prostate cancer; and bowel cancer.

Cancer Support UK offers physical and emotional support to people with all kinds of cancer across the UK.