Dear family and friends,

Please help raise funds to give me the gift of my lifetime - a beautiful glass photographic portrait of myself by world-renowned portrait and fashion photographer Robbie Merritt - and support the work of an incredible local charity - Cancer Support WA.

Please show your support by sponsoring my portrait.

Thank you

Julie Fearns-Pheasant

My Story: 'KICK IT TO HELL AND BACK, BABY'

Being diagnosed with cancer and losing my breasts in 2007 certainly made me feel like less of a woman. But only for a short while.

I agreed to tell my story so that others may see that being a person dealing with such a terrifying diagnosis gives you renewal, inner beauty and strength even when you are fighting for your life….

I was born with a physical disability and have tried hard throughout my life to not let adversity and being different get me down. As an emotional human being the knocks and at times pre-conceived belief of others that I had to be physically whole to be a ‘real’ and worthwhile woman made things really difficult.

If I'd had my 'drathers' in life I would have been born with a perfect body. I was taught by the media from an early age that a flawless body meant real beauty and sadly, believed that for a long time. As a teacher and mother of teenagers I see how impressionable we can all be as woman from an early age. It takes a lot of confidence to take that inner, negative voice, squash it like bug and believe you are a unique gorgeous woman regardless of your shape, size and age.

Having breast cancer certainly kills that belief. The added totally unexpected equation of a dangerous staph infection made reconstruction virtually impossible for me. Your breasts are no longer identical feminine icons of a symmetrical beauty, similar to a butterfly’s wings.

As an artist and survivor I made the butterfly my symbol of life during an exhibition about having cancer in 2007. I purposely showed the butterfly as being the perfect being to represent survivors. We initially curl back into our cocoons, ashamed of the physical changes, only to find our ‘wings’ again when supported by people who love us and our own belief in who we are as women is reborn. I’ve also known some wonderful men friends diagnosed with cancer and they are equally affected with issues regarding change, confidence and appearance.

Some of my art work were shown in a conference to assist breast nurses understand the complex emotional battles survivors go through in regards to their ‘changed look’. I’ve given the collection to my initial plastic surgeon who never, ever made me feel less of a person and worthy of renewal and life and I thank him for that. It helped me want to live, keep going and stay alive.

When I was diagnosed, scared out of my mind and unsure what to do next, a dear friend of my mother sent me a card. All that was written in it was 'KICK IT TO HELL AND BACK, BABY'..and that's exactly what I did.

Thank you

Julie Fearns-Pheasant