A 30-year-old mother from Scotland has revealed how her size 36M breasts have 'ruined her life', leaving her in constant pain and unable to lift her eight-month-old daughter. Melissa Ashcroft appeared on ITV's This Morning on Tuesday to speak about her struggle and her crowdfunding campaign for breast reduction surgery, which costs £13,500.
Melissa said her breasts, which weigh over a stone each, have caused a slipped disc, cuts from bra straps, and severe back pain that makes it take an hour to get out of bed each morning. She also faced unwanted attention from men, prompting her to move from a city to rural Scotland, where she said 'the sheep aren't looking'.
Despite her suffering, Melissa has been denied NHS surgery because her BMI is 35, above the required threshold of 27. She noted the irony that her breasts themselves contribute to her BMI, as they weigh two and a half stone. Alison Hammond, co-host of This Morning, pointed out: 'If you took that off, you'd probably be within the safe BMI.'
Melissa has considered weight-loss jabs but said other health complications make them a risk. She is now crowdfunding for private surgery. The Scottish Government stated that its referral protocol aims to ensure fair and evidence-based access to procedures.
