What You Can Learn From A Topless Marathon Runner About Living With Illness
- May 28, 2024
- 4 min read
Teisha Rose, is a health and wellness mindset specialist, founder of Hurdle2Hope®, author of 'Life Interrupted' and host of the podcast ‘Wellbeing Interrupted’. Teisha uses her experience with multiple sclerosis and stage four breast cancer, along with social worker expertise, to empower individuals with chronic illness and their support network.
Living with a chronic illness makes us different. Thriving with a chronic illness requires us to embrace our differences.
My illnesses make me different. Multiple sclerosis has impacted my legs. My body looks like a pin cushion after thousands of needles. Stage 4 breast cancer has taken my breasts away. Then trauma-induced muscle tension dysphonia took my voice for a time.
But should this list stop me from embracing life?
Why was I hesitant to use a walker in public? Why was I initially worried about telling others about my mastectomies? Why do I care about a stranger’s long stares?
Why should a stranger’s response stop me from living life?
I now realise that I was worried about the reactions of others and what they thought of me. And this was stopping me from embracing life.
Why Louise Butcher's story inspired an interview
That is why I wanted to interview Louise Butcher on my podcast, Wellbeing Interrupted. Louise’s image recently flooded many social media accounts I follow. She completed the London Marathon topless, showing her flat chest and mastectomy scars to the world. I was in awe. As inquisitive as always, I wanted to discuss how you can develop a mindset that gives you the confidence to do this.
When we chatted about how Louise felt about her mastectomies in 2022 and how she came to the decision to run topless, she said:
"I knew it was a social norm and a stigma that was affecting the way I felt negatively about it. So if there wasn't any judgment or any perception or anybody feeling pity for someone who's lost their breast, I think I'd have been fine with being flat-chested."
You see, that is the challenge I faced as well—the notion that being a woman is defined by having breasts. The perception that one is less feminine without them is pervasive and harmful. Alarmingly, some women may choose not to have a mastectomy because of this stigma, potentially risking their lives.
But instead of just recognising the impact stigmas have on all of our lives, Louise has taken it a step further in her bid to break these social norms and stigmas. She said:
"I thought, well, if we show the flat chest, if we show the mastectomy out there in a form rather than a picture so we see that person running doing things, living the life, then the normalisation will begin and then the stigma will be reduced."
How you can reduce stigma and embrace life with health conditions
Now, I’m not about to take off my top and go for a run to embrace my mastectomy scars. Multiple sclerosis wouldn’t allow it, plus we aren’t all marathon runners like Louise. Or have such self-assurity and confidence.
However, in support of Louise’s powerful images of her running and embracing life topless, we can all help in reducing stigma. We can encourage those around us to embrace differences.
Share positive stories: Like I have done with the “topless marathon runner,” share stories of resilience and empowerment on your social media platforms. Highlighting these narratives can help shift perceptions and reduce stigma.
Advocate for acceptance: Stand up against stigma when you see it. If you hear someone making negative remarks about someone’s health condition, politely correct them and provide a more understanding perspective.
Support and empower others: Offer support to those around you who might be struggling with their differences. Encouraging words and actions can make a significant impact on someone’s confidence and self-esteem.
Embrace your own differences: Make a conscious effort to live authentically by embracing your differences. Share your story with others and try not to hide your uniqueness. Celebrate who you are and encourage others to do the same.
By taking these steps, we can all contribute to a more inclusive and compassionate society.
The power of embracing authenticity and building resilience
Thriving and living well means embracing our differences, challenging societal norms, and advocating for ourselves and others.
Louise Butcher’s story is a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience that comes from being authentic and true to who you are. As Louise said,
"When the cancer came along, it was out of our control. I feel that the whole sense of no this is my decision, this is my control. I want to be flat, I know this is the right thing for me. It gives you back that little bit of empowerment and control over your body."
By running the London Marathon topless and continuing to share her story, Louise shows us that by embracing our unique experiences and standing up against stigma, we can live more empowered and fulfilling lives.
Let's take inspiration from Louise and strive to live authentically, embrace our unique experiences, and support one another in our personal and collective growth. By embracing our differences, we not only live better lives but also contribute to a more inclusive and compassionate society. Let’s celebrate our uniqueness and empower each other to live well.
You can listen to the full interview on the podcast Wellbeing Interrupted: Episode 20. Hurdle2Hope Stories: Meeting Louise Butcher, Topless Marathon Runner.
Read more from Teisha Rose
Teisha Rose, Health and Wellness Mindset Specialist
Teisha Rose is an innovator in health and wellness mindset, transforming personal challenges with multiple sclerosis and stage four breast cancer into a platform for empowerment. As the founder of Hurdle2Hope®, author of 'Life Interrupted', and host of the 'Wellbeing Interrupted' podcast, she has developed the transformative Hurdle2Hope® Roadmap. This offers mindset insights and strategies not just for those living with chronic illness, but also for health professionals and caregivers, significantly enriching the global health and wellness community.
