A woman has shared empowering photos on Facebook to prove that having a mastectomy is "absolutely nothing to be ashamed of".
Catherine Keeney had a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy (double mastectomy) in March after doctors told her she had a 97% chance of developing breast cancer.
The 30-year-old mum has lost two aunts to the disease and her mother and another aunt have also suffered from breast cancer.
She posted images of herself on a Facebook page she created titled My Prophylactic Mastectomy to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
"I am in no way body beautiful as I'm not the fittest or best looking, I'm just a normal woman, but I want to show everyone that having a mastectomy is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of," Keeney wrote in the post.
"My fiancé took these, so no fancy lights or backdrops, just me standing in my PJ bottoms standing outside my bathroom.
"I am proud of my scars and people who have went through a mastectomy themselves should be too."
The post has received more than 77,000 likes and 7,000 shares since Keeney posted it on Tuesday evening.
She has since posted a picture of her young son on the Facebook page, writing: "Hope my wee boy can one day look back and say he was proud of his mum, my family are the reason I made my choice to see this wee smile for as long as I can.
"Thank you to all of you for your messages of support and kindness, means the world to me."
