Although Cancer Can Damage Body Image, One Survivor Sought to 'Love Herself From the Inside'

Sara Montiel was 36 when she received a diagnosis of breast cancer. She recalls that genetic tests to identify any targetable mutations came back negative. And so, Montiel, a wife and mother of a daughter, made the decision to undergo a double mastectomy.

Montiel described her choice as wanting to only pass through this journey once, which she says is ultimately why she went with a double mastectomy.

At the time, she decided she was going to undergo breast reconstruction surgery after the double mastectomy. However, Montiel developed an infection and after consultations with her care team, made the choice to go flat.

In this episode of the “Cancer Horizons” podcast, Montiel discusses the body image issues she developed after her double mastectomy and subsequent infection, but she also concludes by saying how cancer was ultimately a blessing in disguise.

“Having cancer is a blessing,” Montiel said in an interview with CURE®. “Because if you have the opportunity to find yourself again, we (then) have the opportunity to love ourselves from the inside. And I think that … when this love emerges again, then the outside will glow also. It doesn’t matter if we lose our hair; doesn’t matter if we lose one boob or two boobs … (as long as we are) glowing from the inside, that is the value.”

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