The Nipple Innovation Project at TEDxNHS 2024: Forward
On September 28th, TEDxNHS 2024: Forward will bring together some of the most inspiring voices in healthcare at the Royal Institution in London. We are incredibly proud that Lucy Thompson, founder of The Nipple Innovation Project (NiP), will be part of this transformative day. As the UK’s first mastectomy tattoo charity, NiP is dedicated to providing post-mastectomy medical tattoo services that not only restore bodies after breast cancer but also rebuild confidence.
The Nipple Innovation Project: A Charity Rooted in Compassion
Founded in 2018, The Nipple Innovation Project was born from a deep desire to help breast cancer survivors heal—both physically and emotionally. After mastectomy surgery, many survivors face the reality of living without their nipples, which can deeply affect their self-image and mental health. NiP exists to change that, to offer an alternative to the current basic, semi permanent areola tattoos commonly offered in NHS hospitals. We offer free, permanent 3D nipple tattoos to individuals across the UK, allowing them to feel whole again after the trauma of breast cancer surgery.
What makes NiP truly special is the community that drives it. Our charity is run entirely by volunteers, all of whom are passionate about making this life-changing service accessible to people in the breast cancer community. In addition to our core team, we also maintain a directory of specially trained medical tattoo artists throughout the UK. This ensures that survivors can access these services in their own communities, no matter where they live. We are here to make sure no one is left behind on their journey to recovery.
Healing More Than Just the Body
The work we do at NiP goes beyond tattoos—it’s about healing emotional scars and helping people feel confident in their own skin again. After breast cancer surgery, it’s not uncommon for survivors to feel a sense of loss, both physically and emotionally. The absence of a nipple can be a constant reminder of what they’ve been through. By offering realistic 3D nipple tattoos, we help restore not just the appearance of their body, but a sense of self that cancer took away.
Many of the people we work with describe our service as the final step in their healing journey. They look in the mirror and see a version of themselves they thought was gone. The impact this has on their mental health is profound. It helps lift the weight of cancer’s aftermath, allowing them to move forward with renewed confidence.
A Proud Partnership with the NHS
At TEDxNHS 2024, we’ll be sharing one of our proudest milestones—the moment we became the first charity to partner with an NHS trust to offer free 3D medical tattoo services to their patients. This partnership is a huge step forward, not just for NiP, but for the entire breast cancer community. It’s proof that medical tattooing is finally being recognized as an important part of post-mastectomy care, and it opens the door for more partnerships with NHS trusts across the UK.
This collaboration means that breast cancer survivors can access long lasting nipple tattoos without the financial burden of seeking private treatment. It also highlights the growing understanding that healing is not just about treating the disease, but about supporting the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. The impact these tattoos have on a persons mental health need to be taken seriously, we are keen to do more studies within this area as this treatment is currently offered as a cosmetic treatment where we feel its an essential part of the healing process.
We are incredibly grateful to the NHS for believing in our mission and for working with us to bring this essential service to more people. Together, we are helping survivors feel whole again, and we hope this partnership inspires other NHS trusts to follow suit.
Join Us at TEDxNHS 2024
On September 28th, Lucy Thompson will take the stage at TEDxNHS 2024 to share the story of The Nipple Innovation Project and our vision for the future of post-mastectomy care. This talk is about more than just our work—it’s about how we can push healthcare forward with empathy, innovation, and compassion. It’s a celebration of how far we’ve come and a call to action for the changes we still need to make.
We invite you to join us at the Royal Institution in London for this extraordinary event. Come and be a part of the movement that is redefining healthcare and showing how ideas truly change everything. Book your tickets now and join us as we continue to expand our reach and impact more lives.
For more information about the event, visit TEDxNHS. Together, let’s move healthcare forward and ensure that every survivor has the chance to heal—inside and out.
