my reduction

A lot of you know that I was unfortunately ‘blessed’ with big breasts and whilst it can be admirable from other people it has actually caused me a lot of emotional distress and physical pain throughout my teenage years and now as I go on to become an adult. 

this gofundme is really my last resort for this reduction. from when i was in year 6 my breasts started growing at a really rapid rate and by the time i was in year 10 i was a 32JJ which is incredibly big for a 5’2, 14/15 year old in secondary school. i was always slightly insecure about my body but as i got older it became worse. eventually a family member introduced me to the prospect of a breast reduction surgery.

As a child I was very active and enjoyed physical sports and activities but as I got older and my breasts started to grow I stopped engaging in sports I enjoyed because it was impossible for me to participate because I could not find a  bra that could properly support my cup size. Also as I grew older and as my cup size grew I was often sexualised and objectified by a lot of people which did make me feel very ashamed of the way I looked in comparison to my peers.

I did wait until I was 18 and tried to lose weight before I started fully looking into it so my body could fully develop and I was hopeful my cup size would decrease but it did not.

I have been to my gp on two occasions in order to get them reduced through the NHS.

On the first occasion my female GP confirmed to me that I meet the physical and psychological requirements. However, on the first occasion I was made to go 6 weeks of physio, which was tedious as it did not help and I felt like I was being dismissed by the NHS. The second time my male gp tried to discourage me from doing it on the basis that ‘no one gets a reduction on the NHS’ despite me doing my research and seeing it is entirely possible.

A lot of people think the reason for breast surgeries is for vanity which is not the case here. On the outside having big breasts looks good to some people however its a constant weight to carry. I am now 5’4 and have a quite a small frame and my breasts are a currently a 32H. I have to literally wear a bra with EVERYTHING and if you’re a girl already know how agonising and inconvenient that can be! It’s also painful because my back is constantly sore and my bra straps do dig into my shoulders and leave indentations. I can rarely exercise because it is difficult to find a bra that properly supports them without causing strain on my back, shoulders and rib cage. I do take light pain killers when I am in pain to help relieve it but its not something I want to continue doing.

It is also difficult to find clothing and even a bra that is comfortable and flattering as my torso is significantly disproportionate to my bottom half. In addition, everything I wear from a simple t shirt to a blouse becomes very revealing and tight around my chest area which means I usually have to get a bigger size or just stick to baggy clothing because I feel deeply uncomfortable and self conscious with people looking at my body and the way my body looks in and also out of clothes.They also invite a lot of unwanted attention from people, which makes me feel really anxious and unsafe a lot of the time.

Surgery is really the last option I wanted to have and I could have started this reduction journey earlier but I was terrified of being operated on. However, now it is really my only choice for a healthier life.

I have not yet decided whether I would like to do the reduction abroad or in a private clinic in the UK but I am hoping to at least raise enough money that I can have the option of at least 1. It would really mean a lot to gain any donation that I can in order to achieve this goal and change my life for the better!