Three women on why they said no to breast reconstruction after mastectomy

Most women who undergo a mastectomy opt for breast reconstruction. However, some prefer to avoid the risks associated with extensive surgery and stay flat.  We speak to three women who made this choice 

Tanya Dobbyn sought a double mastectomy without reconstruction. ‘I didn’t and still don’t feel I need breasts to be womanly or sexy,’ she says.

Diagnosed with breast cancer at just 24 — and then finding out she has the BRCA1 gene mutation — Tanya Dobbyn was in no doubt about what she wanted. She wanted a double mastectomy — and she did not want breast reconstruction.

“I’d made peace with my body. I didn’t, and still don’t feel I need breasts to be womanly or sexy or feminine.”