A BRAVE woman who had her breasts removed to stop cancer in its tracks has stepped into the spotlight.

Katie Mumford, from Dedham, joined nine other women and stripped off for a glamorous photoshoot to raise awareness of the disease.

The shoot was part of the Eve Appeal’s Get Lippy campaign, which aims to encourage positive discussion about women’s cancers.

All of the women involved were at greater risk of ovarian and breast cancer due to an inherited gene mutation.

They have all had breast surgery, either for cancer treatment, or, Miss Mumford’s case, it was a radical step to prevent cancer. Her mother and half-sister were both diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 48 and 28 respectively.

Miss Mumford, 30, underwent tests and was found to carry the mutated BRCA2 gene.

In 2016, she had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

Marketing manager Miss Mumford said: “Things have been really good since the surgery.

“It dramatically reduced my risk, meaning I’ve been able to move on with my life without the constant worry of breast cancer.

“I’m getting married to my fiancé Rob Cole in September so it’s been nice to concentrate on my future.

“The fake breasts looks great but as the reconstruction is within my chest wall muscle, I do have lessened upper body strength and some discomfort within the muscle.

“The actual breasts themselves are numb, which did take some getting used to.”

She found out about the photoshoot through a support group on Facebook.

One of the members had arranged the shoot and asked for volunteers.

She said: “It was really exciting to be involved, to show the surgery hasn’t defined my femininity and also to raise awareness.”

Women in the UK have around an 11 per cent risk of breast cancer in their lifetime.

However, those with a BRCA gene mutation face risks of up to 90 per cent for breast cancer.