Recipient Spotlight:

Wilmarys Roman Rivera

After getting a mastectomy, Wilmarys didn’t like to look in the mirror and hated what she looked like. Her P.ink tattoo changed that for good.

When Wilmarys Roman Rivera was in basic training with the Army, she noticed a lump in her breast and blood coming out of her nipple. Unfortunately, she couldn’t use a phone while in training and the on-site doctors brushed off her concerns. When Wilmarys got out of basic training, she was diagnosed with Stage 0 Triple Negative breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy.

After surgery, she hated looking at herself and always wanted to cover up. After learning about P.ink, Wilmarys was a recipient in New York in 2019. Her P.ink Day experience made her more confident and now she wants to show off her chest tattoos to everyone.

We interviewed Wilmarys to find out what her P.ink Day experience was like and what advice she has for anyone thinking about mastectomy tattoos or applying to the Personal Ink program.

How did you learn about P.ink?

When I first got cancer, I was doing research on different websites on things to help me get through it. I was reading an article about some tattoo artists doing chest tattoos, and one of them was an artist in San Francisco who worked with P.ink.

Can you tell us about your breast cancer experience?

When I was in basic training for the Army, I knew something was wrong. I had found blood in my sports bra and felt a lump in my breast. I was super scared but I couldn’t use a cell phone because I was in basic training. I was trying to figure out what was going on and I went to the doctor, but they weren’t great and they didn’t know what it could be when I told them about the blood. Finally, when I got out of basic training, I looked online and was pretty sure I had breast cancer. I went to a doctor at the VA and found out it was Stage 0 Triple Negative. I waited a month to finish school and then had surgery.

How did you feel after your mastectomy?

I was uncomfortable with myself, specifically my skin and chest. I always wore closed t-shirts. I didn’t like to look at myself in the mirror because of my mastectomy and my implants didn’t look great, and I wouldn’t go to the beach or wear a bikini. I felt angry because I wasn’t myself and thought I would never feel the same way I had before cancer or be comfortable with my body.

What was your biggest challenge before getting a mastectomy tattoo?

Looking at myself in the mirror was the hardest. I loved when the mirror was foggy after a shower because I hated to look at myself. That was the worst experience for me.

What was your P.ink Day experience like?

Everything went so smoothly and it was a great experience. It was challenging for me to expose my chest to everyone. Besides my doctors and my mom, no one had seen my chest after cancer. But looking around the room at everyone else doing the same thing as me, I felt more relaxed. It was amazing to meet all the women that feel the same way that I do and see their faces when they were done with their tattoos. Their satisfaction was mine, too.

How did your tattoo change your outlook on life?

I always say I’m stronger than ever and I feel more empowered. I like to wear low cut shirts, go to the beach and wear a bathing suit now. I no longer care about radiation redness because my tattoo looks great. I feel even better now than before cancer. I’m stronger than ever, not only physically, but mentally too.

What piece of advice would you share with potential future recipients? What piece of advice would you share with your younger self?

If you haven’t gotten a tattoo before, you might be scared of the pain. But think of all the things you’ve been through. This is nothing compared to the pain you felt before. And the satisfaction afterwards is worth it.

“Before my tattoo, I was uncomfortable with my skin and chest. I always wore closed t-shirts, didn’t like to look at myself in the mirror, and wouldn’t go to the beach. After my P.ink Day, I didn’t care because my tattoo looked great.”

– Wilmarys Roman Rivera