Meet Mara
Learn about our founder's personal experience with breast cancer, and her "why".
Strength, Resilience, and the Birth of TataTattoos
Hello, friend. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
A bit about my background and experience with breast cancer...Cancer runs in my family. I lost all grandparents prior to my birth, my mother at age 51, my beloved half-sister, Diana, died of breast cancer at 37, as well as my maternal aunt, who died at the age of 53. My breasts were termed “dense” and “lumpy” due to having fibrocystic breasts, so I was checked annually with a diagnostic mammogram beginning at the age of 30.
In October 2009, I was at the height of my career as a founder and CEO of a highly visible non-profit organization and a single mom to a spirited 12-year-old son. In October of 2009, I also had my last annual diagnostic mammogram, and as usual, the results were deemed to be normal.
In November of 2009, I felt a pea-sized dense lump in my outer, lower left breast. I just had a feeling this wasn’t normal and began having dreams where I was being told that I had breast cancer. I went back to the doctor and requested another diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. They said I was fine.
I kept pushing as the dreams continued - and had six diagnostic procedures in all, each becoming more invasive and difficult to schedule (due to the negative results of the prior procedure). As many of you reading this know, one of the most difficult things to deal with is waiting for answers where any kind of cancer is concerned.
Finally, in early April of 2010, I received a call from the surgeon, who explained the diagnosis of DCIS, the reasons why it was so hard to find (it was scattered throughout, not formed as a lump), and that I would need to undergo a single mastectomy. I elected to a double due to being so high-risk, a single mom, and matching abilities for reconstruction - I mean, I was a 37-year-old single woman ;)
The mastectomy was scheduled to take place three weeks later, which was scary, but knowing I wasn’t crazy and that we caught the breast cancer early on gave me a huge sense of relief.
I elected to hold off on the breast reconstruction process due to the increased risk of infection when combining it with the mastectomy. Being a single woman, who had identified herself with beauty to some extent (though always humbly) having no breasts, and especially no nipples was very difficult for me.
Though all women have different experiences, during this time, and during the breast reconstruction process and related procedures, I did not feel very womanly. I felt blank; incomplete; in transition; between genders (strangely); between chapters of my life; between changes in my values personally, spiritually, professionally and felt confused about what I understood my womanhood to be.
I was mourning my breasts, my sexual freedom, my birthright to breastfeed ever again and at times, my very womanhood. Every time I accidentally caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror unclothed, my blank canvas was a reminder of all that was lost. My friends and my son were there for me along my journey, and this helped my spirits tremendously. Love sure is an amazing thing…
TataTattoos seeded itself in my mind during the dark and challenging times above: but wasn’t seeded in my heart until I could openly discuss my story without it causing negative triggers.
TataTattoos represents my offering of love and support for my sisters in a period of loss, of rebuilding, and moving forward into new life chapters. It is my intention and hope that these temporary tattoos will bring you a rekindled spirit of wholeness, feminism, and of course…sexiness.
