Topless runner's journey goes global with book release and capital dates

LOUISE Butcher doesn't run for medals or attention. She runs topless to challenge the shame that too many women carry in silence after breast cancer.

- by LEWIS CLARKE

At 51, and having chosen not to undergo reconstructive surgery following a double mastectomy, she's turned her body into a banner for visibility and strength. Her chest is bare. Her message, bold.

"I had to run 26.2 miles," she says, recalling the moment everything changed. "So I thought, that's it - I'll do it topless."

From her home in Chivenor, near Braunton, Louise is leading a campaign that strips away stigma - literally. On Sunday, she took her movement to one of the world's biggest stages: the London Marathon.

Louise's advocacy began with a question: how do you confront the silence and shame surrounding post-mastectomy bodies? She found her answer a week before the 2023 Virtual London Marathon. After researching the emotional impact of choosing not to have reconstruction, she discovered a common thread among many women.

"They felt ashamed of their bodies. They couldn't look in the mirror. They thought they'd lost their femininity, that they weren't attractive anymore," she said. "I wanted to change that."

Running topless became her way of breaking the silence.

"I kept thinking, how can I get this discussed? How do we address where the stigma comes from?," she said.

Her decision to run without a top wasn't about rebellion. It was about visibility. It was about showing what is usually hidden - and being unapologetic about it.

Louise isn't slowing down. This year, she's tackling five races - all topless.

"I did the Bath Half Marathon in March, the London Marathon, and I've got the North Devon 10k, the Cardiff Half and the Great North Run lined up," she said.

Each race represents more than just a physical challenge. For Louise, the marathon is a platform to share a bigger message.