Embracing our BODIES

Most of us have different body hang-ups, but these three women have learnt to love the skin they're in

- VERONIQUE HAWKSWORTH

‘I’M NOT HIDING MY TRUE SELF ANYMORE’

Lindsey Beveridge, 54, is a registered nutritional therapy practitioner living in Manchester with her husband, John, 61, and her daughter.

Growing up in South Africa with my hypercritical mum, I never had much body confidence. I struggled with binge eating. The more I ate, the more my mum would criticise. At 14, I hated my unhealthy body and I turned to drinking and smoking to mask my poor self-confidence. On the surface, my life seemed normal, but in private, my drinking was becoming out of control.

There were other parts of my life I was covering up, too. My dark brunette hair had started going grey in my 20s and I blanketed my silver locks with endless boxes of dye.

In July 2000, aged 32, I decided to stop drinking. With my newfound clarity, I wanted to start life afresh and was offered work as a conference producer in London. I wanted to be in good shape for my big move, so I saw my doctor for an all-around check-up.

It was there I discovered I had a lump in my left breast. A biopsy revealed I had stage 2 cancer.

I was overwhelmed with shock and I turned to my old comforter – alcohol.

I had a mastectomy. While I was offered a reconstruction, I wanted the fastest recovery, so I could move to the UK, even if that meant I’d be left with a large scar where my breast had been. I didn’t need any further treatment, so once I’d recovered, I finalised my arrangements and moved to London.