A new charitable initiative has been launched in New Zealand to assist cancer patients in remission by removing permanent tattoos placed by radiologists during treatment. This effort coincides with October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Radiation tattoos serve as reference points for aligning treatment equipment to ensure accurate delivery of radiation. Common cancers that require these tattoos include breast, prostate, head and neck, and lung cancers. According to the Ministry of Health, over 10,000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with one of these cancers annually.
Simone Barclay, a breast cancer survivor currently undergoing tattoo removal, shared her experience. She received radiation tattoos in 2017 and described them as constant reminders of her illness. “The tattoos looked like I had a giant blackhead or spilled lunch on myself,” she said. “To me, they were very noticeable, and I felt self-conscious. It was either hide them or get them dealt with.”
Barclay emphasized that while she could accept the scars from her double mastectomy, the radiation tattoos were an ongoing visual reminder of her treatment. “I’ll be relieved to have them gone. It’s like drawing a line under it,” she noted.
Experts agree that these tattoos often represent challenging times for patients and can be costly to remove. The new initiative will offer laser removal services free of charge, breaking the ink into tiny particles that the body can naturally expel.
Mike Anderson, CEO of Think Again Laser Clinic NZ and founder of the initiative, explained that tattoo removal is typically considered a cosmetic procedure and is rarely funded by public health services or covered by insurance. Many patients, facing financial hardship after treatment, struggle to afford removal costs.
Anderson highlighted the emotional toll of cancer treatment, noting that tattoos can symbolize a difficult chapter in patients’ lives. “Most frequently, we see requests for removal from breast cancer patients, reflecting New Zealand’s high rates of this disease,” he stated.
The initiative targets individuals aged 30 to 50, many of whom have decades ahead and prefer not to be reminded of their illness every time they look in the mirror.
“We want to support this community, particularly Māori and Pasifika individuals who are disproportionately affected by cancer,” Anderson added. The program invites patients who have completed radiation treatment, whether entering remission or transitioning to new therapies, to seek tattoo removal.
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