Lavenham fund-raiser aims to shine light on how areola tattoos help breast cancer patients ‘get their body back’

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaches, a village fund-raiser hopes to shine a light on a lesser-known treatment that recipients have described as the ‘final step in their reconstruction journey’.

For the second year running, beautician Sarah St Ledger will stage a charity wellness morning at Lavenham Village Hall on Sunday, October 12, to help more breast cancer patients to access 3D areola tattooing.

The process involves creating realistic tattoos for people who have had a mastectomy on one or both of their breasts.

Sarah is one of around 10 people nationwide to be trained as an areola tattoo artist by the TATA Foundation, a charity which provides funds for those who would otherwise be unable to afford it.

She told SuffolkNews that, while 3D areola tattooing is something most people do not know about, it makes ‘such a huge difference’ to how breast cancer patients feel about themselves.

“My clients say it makes such a different because it helps them feel normal again,” said Sarah, who administers the treatment from her salon, The Beautanical Garden in Lavenham. “They say it gives them their body back.

“It’s a difficult treatment to market – because the areola tattoo is of a breast, if you post a photo on the social media, the algorithm reads it as nudity and will take it down.

“A lot of people don’t even realise this is an option but, once they find out about it, they say it’s so fantastic. I do the treatment in my cabin at home, where my salon is based, so it feels for comfortable for them.

“If someone comes to me who has had treatment for breast cancer, but can’t afford the areola tattoo, I contact the TATA Foundation, and we try to make it as straightforward as possible.”

After her first wellness fundraiser in 2024 raised around £1,500 for the TATA Foundation, Sarah explained that the positive feedback from attendees last year inspired her to reprise the concept.

The event on October 12 will run from 10am to 1pm – starting with a yoga session with Carmelle Rudder, followed by crystal sound bath therapy led by Jo Saunders – plus a prize raffle and cake sale.

Tickets are available for £30 per person, and can be booked by contacting Sarah on 07891 148262, or by emailing thebeautanicalgarden@gmail.com.