03/09/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14as5JhijX2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Four years ago, Louise Bernadette Butcher was training for her first marathon when she was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer. Her mammogram had been clear just three weeks earlier. She kept training anyway -- through both mastectomies and radiotherapy.
Six weeks after surgery, she crossed her first finish line. And she's been running topless ever since.
For Louise, the marathon is about much more than covering the distance. It's a way to raise awareness around body image for women who, like her, have had mastectomies and chosen not to pursue reconstruction. Scars don't need to be hidden. Neither do the stories behind them.
"Why should I cover my scars?" she says. "They're a part of me and they saved my life."
What she didn't anticipate was where her run would lead. Five marathons. Five half marathons. A Guinness World Record as the first woman to run the London Marathon topless. A published book -- "Going Topless" -- about body positivity, flat closure surgery, and the quiet radicalism of refusing to hide.
On April 26th, she lines up for her sixth marathon -- London -- raising funds for Breast Cancer Now, the UK's leading breast cancer research and support charity.
Louise's run will show that true strength isn't measured in miles or finish times; sometimes it's just showing up exactly as you are and empowering others to do the same.
To support Louise's London Marathon run for Breast Cancer Now, you can contribute at https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/louise-bucher
Louise -- who is known as The Topless Runner -- recently published a memoir about her experience "Going Topless" at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9781836710363 (Bookshop) and https://amzn.to/3VzUR3V (Amazon)
You can also follow her running adventures on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1016633126
For two encouraging books about moms undergoing cancer treatment that were written to help kids understand what's happening during treatment, we highly recommend "Cancer Hates Kisses" for ages 3 to 7 (https://www.amightygirl.com/cancer-hates-kisses) and "Mama's Year with Cancer" for ages 4 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/mama-s-year-with-cancer)
For books that encourage kids and teens to love their bodies no matter the shape or form, visit our blog post "Celebrating Every Body: 35 Body Image Positive Books for Mighty Girls" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=10912
For an excellent book for adult readers about 22 trailblazing women runners, we recommend “First Ladies of Running: 22 Inspiring Profiles of the Rebels, Rule Breakers, and Visionaries Who Changed the Sport Forever,” at https://www.amightygirl.com/first-ladies-of-running
For two inspiring books about female distance runner pioneers, we recommend "Her Fearless Run: Kathrine Switzer's Historic Boston Marathon" for ages 6 to 10 (https://www.amightygirl.com/her-fearless-run) and "Mighty Moe: The True Story of a Thirteen-Year-Old Women's Running Revolutionary" for ages 12 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/mighty-moe)
For a fantastic t-shirt that speaks to the fact that strength has nothing to do with gender, check out the “I'm not strong for a girl. I'm just strong.” t-shirt for both kids and adults at https://www.amightygirl.com/strong-t-shirt
