After a cancer diagnosis, life is never quite the same. The physical and emotional scars left by the disease are often lasting, but for some survivors, a Bloomington tattoo artist is helping to transform those marks into something empowering.
Chad Ramsay, the founder of Illinois Tattoo Company in downtown Bloomington, is providing nipple reconstruction tattooing for women who have undergone mastectomies due to breast cancer. Ramsay’s service, which began about seven or eight years ago, offers a way for breast cancer survivors to reclaim their bodies and sense of self.
It all started unexpectedly, Ramsay recalled during an appearance on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. As he was preparing to close the shop one evening, a woman walked in, visibly upset and in tears. She had just received her cancer diagnosis and felt the need to get a tattoo. Ramsay quickly set to work, tattooing a small cross on her, but when the session was finished, he chose not to charge her for the service.
Years later, the woman returned to thank Ramsay, telling him how much that tattoo had meant to her as she navigated her cancer journey. “It just sort of made me think, ‘Man, these people go through hell and then they’re stuck with something that they’re not necessarily happy with,'” Ramsay said.
Inspired by the experience, Ramsay began offering hyper-realistic tattooing for breast cancer survivors, specifically nipple reconstruction tattoos. He wanted to help women who felt disfigured or incomplete after breast surgery regain a sense of identity.
“For some people, they feel like they’re missing part of their womanhood, or they’re disfigured in some way,” Ramsay explained. “I thought, ‘I know I can do it,’ and I just started offering it.”
After a mastectomy, many women lose not only breast tissue but also their nipples, which are sometimes removed in the surgical process. While cancer centers and medical providers offer various options for nipple reconstruction, including medical micropigmentation, these services can be costly, with prices depending on insurance coverage and other factors. Ramsay hopes to make nipple reconstruction more accessible by offering his services at no cost.
“It doesn’t make them feel like they’re going to have to spend a whole bunch of money on something to alter their body,” Ramsay said. He also emphasized the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere of his studio, which is filled with music and laughter, creating a stark contrast to the clinical setting of medical offices.
Since beginning the practice, Ramsay has helped about a dozen women with nipple reconstruction tattoos. He has also built connections with cancer clinics in Chicago and Champaign, which sometimes refer clients to him. Ramsay approaches each tattoo “like a portrait,” treating the intricate process with great care, whether he is reconstructing a nipple or correcting its appearance after surgery.
While nipple reconstruction is not uncommon and can be found at some cancer treatment centers, Ramsay believes he is one of the few, if not the only, tattoo artists in the region offering this service for free. “If it’s something that anybody is interested in, I’m happy to sit down and talk to them about options,” he said. “If I can help you out, I’d be happy to.”
Through his tattooing, Ramsay is helping survivors reclaim their bodies, one tattoo at a time.
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