She’s lost her hair to chemotherapy and her body is marked by surgery scars but Elly Mayday hasn’t let cancer stop her modelling.
The 25-year-old plus-sized beauty was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer last year and has since has undergone a hysterectomy and lost her hair from chemotherapy.
While she would be forgiven for wanting to step out of the spotlight for a few years, Elly is doing just the opposite, embracing her new appearance and continuing to model despite her bald head and surgery scars.
Elly was diagnosed with cancer while she was finalising plans to relocate to New York from her native Canada to further her modelling career.
“It was kind of a point of realisation, either, ‘Do I stop [modelling] now, or do I keep on going and be the person that I was raised to be and the person that I know I am?’ ” she said.
In the end, Elly made the decision not to move but still continued to model while undergoing treatment.
While one might expect her career to flounder it has flourished. Her unique look and hourglass figure have made Mayday a favourite among underwear labels. The model says by showing her scars, she hopes to encourage people to appreciate their own imperfections.
“It’s important to show what real women look like underneath their clothes,” Elly told ABC News, America. “I hope people are inspired to go outside with the scars and without their hair on,” she added.
If her 80,000 Facebook fans are anything to go by, then the model has inspired people. Her official page is flooded with messages from people all over the world who were glad to hear that her recent CT scans show her cancer is shrinking. For Elly, sharing her journey is about more than just challenging the fashion industry’s current status quo.
“Not everyone in the industry is going to want to work with a person that’s scarred, that has a scarred stomach. But I have a good story, and I’m trying to start something.”
Elly Mayday, 25, was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer that is usually only seen in post-menopausal women (pic: Facebook).
The model’s unique look has seen her career flourish (pic: Facebook).
The Canadian beauty is challenging the fashion industry’s perception of beauty (pic: Facebook).
Mayday modelling before her cancer diagnosis (pic: Facebook).
According to her official Facebook page, Elly Mayday is all about “Fighting Ovarian Cancer & Women’s Insecurities” (Pic: Facebook).
According to her official Facebook page, Elly Mayday is all about “Fighting Ovarian Cancer & Women’s Insecurities” (Pic: Facebook).
Before her cancer struggle the striking model sported a gorgeous blonde mane (pic: Facebook).
The model has a beautiful hourglass figure which pays homage to the pin-ups of yesteryear (pic: Facebook).
Mayday is determined to keep modelling and try to inspire others who are struggling with cancer (pic: Facebook).
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