BBC presenter Claira Hermet has revealed she has made the decision to have a double mastectomy after finding out that she carries the BRC1 gene.
The 27-year-old lost her mother and her sister to breast cancer and has been given an 85 per cent chance of contracting the disease.
Upon hearing the news, Hermet decided to undergo a double mastectomy and reconstruction and booked a topless shoot as a way of saying goodbye to her boobs.
“I wanted a party and I wanted photos to remember my boobies as they are now. The photo shoot was so much fun to get glammed up and to feel sexy. I did some fun shots to share and some topless shots which will be for my private collection. It was so liberating.”
She will undergo surgery in January and said that while the last few months has been “a rollercoaster so far”, it has made her think about her life and what she hopes to achieve.
“It has made me think about my mum and sister. It has made me address things that I never have before. It has made me love myself and realise my worth. It has cemented the importance of self love, self confidence and self respect. I used to say, but I now know, that if you don’t love or respect yourself then you can’t expect anyone else to,” she explained.
“It has made me think long and hard about the beliefs and excuses I have formed that hold me back and stop me from achieving. I have had to be very honest with myself about why I’m not exactly where I want to be, doing what I want to do. I have realised the importance of taking full responsibility for myself and my life. No blame and no excuses. It’s a scary prospect but this is my life and I want to make the most of it so accepting I am fully responsible for it a must.”
