Breast cancer help includes nipple tattoos, marking end to ordeal

Kylie Warren was one of a half-dozen women who recently received the cosmetic but compelling procedure of realistic, permanent nipple tattoos after a breast reconstruction.

Mrs Warren said, put simply, "It has made me feel complete."

The not-for-profit group Survivors Ink provided the free tattoos in Tamworth on Friday and Saturday, Wild West Tattoo Studio donating the space.

"Grant [Humphris, the owner] has forgone that space for us, for free, which is awesome," charity director Michelle Lewis said.

Mrs Warren said her tattoos, by volunteer Peter Bone, brought her to "the end of my journey", which began with her breast cancer diagnosis four years ago.

Read also:

"I really felt I needed this because that's the end for me, the end of my journey, and ... I feel like it makes me look like a woman again when I look in my mirror," she said.

"It's been three years since I finished treatment, so I'll be hoping to get to the five-year mark; then I can really celebrate."

Mrs Warren said she'd been made to "feel really relaxed" and had been supported by a friend and fellow survivor.

"She was feeling a little bit unsure, so it was great for me for her to be there - but also great for her to know that, if she wanted to do this later on, this is what it's like," she said.

Ms Lewis said the trip to Tamworth for the Canberra-based volunteers had been "amazing".

"To see the happiness in the smiles, and some tears, of the survivors is indescribable.

"To hear them say they feel 'whole again' [or] 'themselves again' is the best feeling."

Mrs Warren said she would "thoroughly recommend" the procedure if people researched it and thought it was right for them.

She also encouraged donors to support the organisation.

"These guys completely do it off their own bat," Mrs Warren said.

"They both have day jobs to pay the bills and do this because, as they said, 'We love helping people.'"