UnBreasted

27/02/2026

Some people say how you respond to trauma and adversity shows your true character. For many people, they won’t know their own capabilities or sense of certainty until they're faced with those life-defining moments.

These women are testament to what can happen when trauma, adversity and life-threatening medical conditions arise. When faced with cancer diagnosis or inherited cancer genes, these women chose - some unknowingly - to buck against societal norms and pave the way forward for future generations.

By being themselves and showing up with pride in their post-mastectomy body, these women are living examples of why surgeons and healthcare professionals must provide full and clear information about surgical options available at the time of mastectomy.

The conversations among surgeons, breast care nurses and their patients should be going something like this:

👂🏽“As your healthcare professional, I’m here to listen to you (the patient). I’m here to guide your decision making based on how you want your body to look, function and feel. My personal opinions are irrelevant. You must make the decision that is appropriate for your body.”

👂🏽“You want to go flat and not consider reconstruction? No problem. I’ve got you.”

👂🏽“You’re happy to live with one b**b? Sure thing. We can make that reality.”

👂🏽“Keen to reconstruct breasts with your own tissue or implants? No worries. Let’s talk about your options and here’s a list of pros and cons to consider.”

Our healthcare and medical professionals have an obligation to listen to their patients and ensure they are equipped with a long list of pros and cons about each option before deciding.

As stated by my friend and trailblazing changemaker Robyn Smith from Inherited Cancers Australia: “It doesn't matter what decision you make after a mastectomy (flat or reconstruction - both are valid options), as long as you are given information about ALL your post mastectomy options.”

This article appearing in Marie Claire Australia is a massive step forward for flat advocacy. Congratulations to these amazingly strong women and thank you to the editorial team at Marie Claire for representing all forms of female humanity.

Australian women who have had single or double mastectomy without reconstruction can connect with others at Flat Life Australia

18/02/2026

🫶🏼Are you an Australian woman who has made decisions about breast surgery due to cancer diagnosis or prevention reasons?
👏🏽Do you want to be part of influencing improvements to information shared with future generations of Australian women?

If you answered yes, please show your support by promoting this research project among Australian breast surgeons and cancer care nurses.

❓What do we know?
• We know not all women who undergo a mastectomy for breast cancer or risk reduction will choose to have breast reconstruction.
• We know recommendations aim to support women in making informed decisions based on all available options, including the option of flat closure.
• We know many Australian women undergoing breast surgery report receiving limited information about the flat closure option.

🤔What don’t we know?
We want to learn more about the experiences and attitudes of surgeons and cancer care nurses towards ‘going flat’ after mastectomy. So far, we’ve gathered data from patients in Australia’s breast cancer community, and now we want to balance the perspective with input from healthcare professionals.

All survey responses are anonymous and no identifying information will be collected.

📣What can you do to help?
Share this post with your networks, particularly surgeons and cancer care nurses. Ask them to complete the survey via https://qualtrics.flinders.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_bgyw6ddJVaC9LWC or scan the QR Code on the flyer. A PDF version of the flyer can be downloaded via https://1drv.ms/b/c/429a9720db0ccdd8/IQDR2NWFfA80TJ3jd4-4SWbeAej0CSq2IQAP_TjEpfU9nFc

👩🏽‍🎓Research Team
• Robyn Smith – Consumer advocate, Programs Manager for Inherited Cancers Australia and Co-Founder of Flat Life Australia (https://www.facebook.com/groups/481448050773509)
• Melanie Law – Consumer advocate, Founder of Breastless
• Joanna Atzori – Consumer advocate, Author of UnBreasted
• Dr Fiona Crawford-Williams – Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University

The project has been approved by Flinders University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HEL6305-3).

Thank you in advance to all surgeons and cancer care nurses who share their experiences and attitudes.

23/12/2025

This week I donated blood, as I do every 12 weeks. Shout out to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood at Maroochydore for always looking after me.

There are many reasons I give blood:

* My mum has chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and this is one way I can help people (like her) living with blood cancer.
* I come from a long line of "helpers", so it's genetically programmed into me that I should do this if it can assist others.
* I’m a people-pleasing ISFJ personality type (characterized by traits such as warmth, responsibility, and a strong sense of duty towards others).
* After having cancer, I know what it’s like to feel helpless and be in a vulnerable position, asking for support from complete strangers.

It was heartening to see so many people register to donate blood following the recent tragedy at Bondi. Shining a spotlight on the importance of blood donation has been wonderful to see and I’m hopeful many of those generous people become regular donors.

❤️❤️❤️Australia needs over 1.7 million donations every year to meet demand: that's three donations every minute.
💉34% of blood donations help people with cancer and blood diseases.
🕐The donation itself takes less than 10 minutes, but you should allow up to an hour for the entire appointment.
🩸You can give blood every 12 weeks, and plasma donations every 2 weeks.

Become a bloody legend. Book your donation appointment today
https://www.donateblood.com.au/one-step-closer

19/12/2025

👙What do your b**bs want for Christmas?🎄

In 2019, a free mammogram saved my life.

Do yourself a Christmas favour and make sure you're up to date with your self checks and mammograms.

If you're an Australian woman, aged 40 or older, please book your free breast screening appointment. (Women aged 39 or younger can organise breast screening through their GP)

Book today: https://www.breastscreen.qld.gov.au/make-an-appointment

18/12/2025

Members of "Flat, Fabulous and Fierce Sunshine Coast" gathered last weekend for our Christmas lunch and pool party, generously hosted by Ricki.

If you're a Sunshine Coast woman who has undergone double mastectomy to flat, or if you’re considering flat as your surgical outcome due to cancer diagnosis or genetic risk reasons, please join our support group to connect with others who truly understand https://www.facebook.com/groups/218466120873482

Merry Flat Christmas, from the Sunshine Coast flat community

11/12/2025

Who's joining me for the 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣Sunshine Coast International Flat Day Ocean Dip (& No Nip)?

⬇️Follow the page below

🫶🏼Support the movement: International FLAT Day

🤝Aussie flatties, find your tribe: Flat Life Australia

🎗️Locals with lived experience of breast cancer, come connect with others at Sunshine Coast Breast Cancer Friendship Circle

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Jo5b1xQqd/

Come and join the Sunshine Coast International Flat Day Ocean Dip on Sunday 11 October 2026 to celebrate visibility, flat pride, and unity.

This is an event organised for flat women to connect with others who have undergone mastectomy and chose to remain unconstructed (aesthetic flat closure).

Those who want to swim can get in the water either shirtless or covered with swimmers if you’d prefer. If you’re looking for an opportunity to show off your breastless body in public, this is your chance to do it surrounded by a group of supportive women. If you don’t want to swim and you just want to come along for the socialising, we’d love to see you there!

Australian women with lived experience of flat closure, due to preventative or cancer diagnosis reasons, are encouraged to join Flat Life Australia.

Contact:
Joanna Atzori 0403 730 909 scbcfriendshipcircle@gmail.com

31/10/2025

📢🎤This week, I spoke publicly in front of a live crowd for the first time to share my breast cancer experience. My presentation was honest, didn’t gloss over the hard parts, and gave me an opportunity to talk about the physical, psychological and emotional impacts of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. You can read an excerpt from my presentation further below.

Talking at this work event was daunting because I don’t love public speaking but I'm incredibly glad I agreed to participate. This presentation gave me a reason to put on my big girl pants, be an example for others, and remind myself why I should be proud of the sh*tshow which has led to important advocacy work and supporting others with lived experience.

I’d like to thank Louise Thompson, founder of Sunshine Coast Council's Women in Workforce Network, for inviting me to share my experience during breast cancer awareness month. Hopefully I scared the crap out of some of my Council colleagues, just enough so that they organise a mammogram or talk with the ladies in their life about the importance of breast screening. This was also an important opportunity to acknowledge my colleagues who have been there for me since my diagnosis in 2019.

Thank you also to Kelly Hart from BreastScreen Queensland for partnering with Council to place these breast screening promotional stickers on bathroom mirrors of Council-owned buildings, venues and holiday parks. This photo of me taken in my workplace bathroom is cringe, but I can't help taking pride in knowing these stickers may lead to someone’s early detection of breast cancer.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to donate to breast cancer support services, you can throw a few dollars towards my beautiful coworker Renee Currenti who next month is swimming 9km to fundraise for the National Breast Cancer Foundation https://fundraise.nbcf.org.au/fundraisers/reneecurrenti
📜Excerpt from presentation by Joanna Atzori 29/10/2025

I’m an example of why women need to take active steps to be breast aware and have regular screenings. Early detection is critical because the sooner you discover the presence of unseen or unknown cancer, the earlier you can begin treatment and the higher your chances of survival.

If I can convince you to act upon any advice this breast cancer awareness month, the call to action is to check your breasts and get to know your normal look and feel. If you’re concerned, don’t stick your head in the sand. Book a mammogram and ultrasound, or go to your GP and have a frank conversation about your anatomical body parts that need ongoing checks and surveillance.

If you’re under the age of 50 and your GP is telling you that you’re too young for breast screening, you need to get yourself a new GP. I’m not kidding. DO NOT accept their advice just because they’re a doctor in a position of authority. If their response is “you’re too young”, it is not good enough. You need to advocate for your health and find a doctor who listens to women when they talk about their health concerns, no matter their age.

If you’re scared of the mammogram process, take a friend or relative along with you and make a date out of it. Getting your b**bs squished could be more palatable when you’re not the only one having it done. You can find out more on the BreastScreen Queensland website https://www.breastscreen.qld.gov.au, or you can talk to your GP.

Every Australian woman aged 40 years and older is eligible for FREE screening through the national BreastScreen program. It takes around 30 minutes and it could save your life, like it did mine.

12/10/2025

Today the Sunshine Coast flat community came together in celebration of International FLAT Day.

We showed pride and love for our bodies in our annual topless swim at Mooloolaba Beach, Qld.

Being involved in the breast cancer community has been a huge part of my survivorship and I'm grateful to The Breast Cancer Physio for inviting me to be part of creating the Sunshine Coast Breast Cancer Friendship Circle six years ago. Little did I know at the time this network of fellow breast cancer survivors would become so important.

Being an advocate in the flat community has pushed me well outside of my comfort zone but I've managed to convince the introverted part of me that what we're doing is more important than staying comfortable.

Thank you to the women in my breast cancer circles and flat community for supporting each other and for showing me how we can make a difference in this world.



https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17RdY9Xvmw/

10/10/2025

Thankfully it doesn't happen often (being asked to donate).

I gave my breasts as tribute.

07/10/2025

On this International FLAT Day 2025, I proudly share my respect, compassion and support for all people who have experienced living in a body with either one breast (unib**ber) or no breasts (aesthetic flat closure).

No matter how you choose to live your life after mastectomy, whether your choice is to present as fully flat, wear prostheses, or undergo reconstructive surgery…your decision about your body should be made using information presented in an unbiased way without assumptions, judgement or influence from others.

Flat means different things to each individual - something I’m still learning five years after transitioning from a unib**ber to a flattie. I’ve met some of the most amazing people on this journey and I’m grateful for the experiences breast cancer has thrown my way.

Flat? Reconstructed? Use prosthetics? Angry? Happy? Private? Comfortable? Proud? Struggling? Still working it out? (Me too)

All of these are valid and all are welcome in my world.



Australian flatties, come and join your tribe at Flat Life Australia.

02/10/2025

Garlinge Art has eloquently summed it up. The power of Flatcation 2025 from last weekend is still buzzing in my veins. Thank you Pascale Garlinge and Robyn Smith for building this community.