Owner of Compassionate Ink, Lanna Richmond is helping breast cancer survivors through unique tattoos aimed to help those in the process of self-image recovery. (Ian Gustafson/ rdnewsNOW)

By Ian Gustafson

Awareness month

Local business owner helping breast cancer survivors with unique tattoos

Oct 30, 2024 | 4:09 PM

A business owner in Red Deer has made a difference in the lives of a few breast cancer survivors in Central Alberta.

Lanna Richmond, owner of Compassion Ink, a paramedical tattoo studio, opened her studio on Oct. 30 to help three survivors in honour of breast cancer awareness month.

Richmond offered her services in areola reconstruction to two women and the third client received a picture tattoo on her breast done by Satcha Mottus a tattoo artist out of Sylvan Lake.

Most importantly, all three services were done free of charge after Richmond was inspired by a business in Eastern Canada that does some work with breast cancer survivors.

“I was enamoured with them and we don’t have anything like this in Western Canada,” Richmond said.

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With over a decade of experience in health and wellness, Richmond specializes in tattoos that help people on their journey of self confidence. Some of these include camouflaging scars and stretchmarks, inkless scar reduction, and areola reconstruction, among others.

The idea first came to mind early this year when she put up a post on social media asking for nominations for breast cancer survivors who would like the service.

“This was all about the women and about giving back,” Richmond added. “I feel like everyone of us knows somebody who’s been touched by breast cancer. If it’s not in your family, you know a friend or somebody.”

She hopes to continue to do this for cancer survivors every October but also hopes to help people with self-harm scars. She plans to open her business up for the rest of the year to people who need it.

“The minute you start talking to people with these stories, you can’t help but want to help them,” she said.

“What originally got me into this was a friend of mine got diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. When I started talking to her about it, all I started thinking that life’s too short, do it.”

Red Deer resident Carla Woolman was one of the three women who signed up for the service.

The 53-year-old had a short cancer journey but the reconstruction afterwards was the hardest for her.

Diagnosed in July 2020 she was officially cancer free in December that same year after receiving a double masectomy, which is the removal of both breasts. Her sister also battled with breast cancer.

Woolman did not receive chemotherapy but unfortunately battled numerous infections during the reconstruction of her breasts.

The scaring she experienced inspired her to get the tattoo.

“I really liked the decorative idea and it was for me to make me feel better about myself,” she said. “I’ve struggled as a single mom so to get this done it’s amazing from both Lanna and Satcha.”

Her best advice to women is to get checked by a doctor if you’re unsure. Woolman admitted that she did not get checked early enough when she noticed changes in her breasts.

Lacombe’s Sherry T. also took advantage of the promotion to have her areola’s reconstructed.

Diagnosed in July 2022 she also had a double masectomy in December that same year. The cancer luckily hadn’t spread to any other areas after she caught it early.

“The first thing I felt was fear but I learned a lot about myself and my feelings about where I was in this point of my life with my work,” she said.

“Sometimes you can just do a job and you kind of take things for granted and that was the biggest thing for me… It was very eye opening for me.”

She had previously lost her dad to colon cancer so the news hit close to home, which attributed to her fear. However, after searching far and wide in Alberta to have her areola’s redone she found Compassionate Ink.

“I feel so grateful to be able to be here and have this done by her. It’s a wonderful thing she’s doing.”