lifestyle

[PHOTOS] A Heartwrenching Glimpse Into The Reality That Will Change The Way You View Scars

A visual world few have seen where grace, guts, pain, and femininity all cross paths to expose a deeply moving side of humanity.

Cover image via thescarproject.org

WARNING: Some of the images below may be considered disturbing to some readers. Very NSFW.

Why breast cancer is NOT a pink ribbon

Sure, that pink ribbon is universally recognized as a symbol for breast cancer awareness, and millions of people display it proudly to show their support and encourage greater attention to the cause.

themuse.com
Image via cloudfront.net

But to a woman fighting the disease, and to the people who love her, that small pink accessory doesn’t begin to represent the experience. And how could it? What image could ever capture the tragedy of cancer, but also the hope needed to fight it?

go.com
Image via huffpost.com

The ugliness of the disease, but the beauty, grace, and triumph of the woman who is enduring it? The physical pain, the emotional agony, the reality of breast cancer—not merely the cute pink face we give it during the month of October every year?

themuse.com

Enter The SCAR Project!

The SCAR Project is a series of large-scale portrait endeavor featuring the faces and bodies of over 100 women who have battled and bested early-onset cancer

"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 by fashion photographer David Jay, a photography series dedicated to young breast cancer survivors.

huffingtonpost.com
Image via huffpost.com

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.

go.com
Image via huffpost.com

"Breast cancer is not a pink ribbon" is a frequent message throughout The SCAR Project

Jay states that "in our society, breast cancer is hidden behind a little pink ribbon that (unintentionally) diminishes something that is terrifying, disfiguring, deadly." Jay hopes that The Scar Project "presents an opportunity to open a dialogue about issues we are not necessarily comfortable with."

wikipedia.org
Image via huffpost.com

Jay's photographs aim to raise awareness 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.

huffingtonpost.com
Image via huffpost.com

"It helps them reclaim their femininity, their sexuality, identity and power after having been robbed of such an important part of it."

thescarproject.org
Image via huffpost.com

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.

themuse.com
Image via huffpost.com

"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.

go.com

Scroll through a preview of "The Scar Project" below and let us know your thoughts on Jay's striking portraits in the comments

Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com
Image via huffpost.com

You may be interested in: