Breastless is a creative response to a personal challenge that is all too common. Around 56,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. By sharing my journey in the form of poetry and art, my hope is we can find togetherness and strength in the face of life changing events.
'I wonder what it will feel like to be breastless?
No more caresses of my own flesh.
A substitute to be brought on in the second half.
Please God,
Let there be a second half.'
Victoria Birchall - Excerpt from Breastless
Breastless is a collection of prose and poetry born out of a desire to share with the world the author’s personal experience of breast cancer.
Fifteen poems, given context by accompanying descriptions of the circumstances which brought them into being. Illustrated by the author’s own series of water colour paintings.
“Victoria gives voice to her heart and soul’s human experience of breast cancer. This intimate exploration was such a powerful gift as I entered into my own journey. It helped guide me through my own emotions and experience in a way I will be forever thankful for. I’ll be sharing this with everyone and anyone I know who finds themselves on a similar journey.”
Kirsten Gunnerud
Being Breastless Live
Victoria has recently developed a live show that was performed in September 2023 in Preston. Exploring her story with the poetry and art which emerged as her journey through breast cancer began. The evening offers a window into the bewildering world of a new breast cancer diagnosis and all that entails. What does it feel like to be faced with the decision to lose a breast? What is it like to experience the variety of emotions which come with a diagnosis like this? How do you come to terms with such an enormous change to your body? What different ways might we respond to such an event? The evening finishes with a Q&A and chance to meet and chat with Victoria about the book. If this kind of event might support your group get in touch.
Victoria Birchall lives in Lancashire and is a pharmacist by profession. Married to Gavin with two children. Breastless is her first book, only starting to write poetry in January 2023, a month after her breast cancer diagnosis. She is recovering well and eager to live life anew.
Victoria is performing poetry in and around Lancashire and is speaking at her first, solo event ‘Being Breastless’ in Penwortham, Preston in September 2023. She has performed her poetry at The Wordarium, Lancaster and The Lancaster Literature Festival 2023.
© Victoria Birchall 2023
DOSE Publishing Ltd