Woman can’t work due to size of boobs that NHS refuses to operate on

Mary Rich spends every day living with chronic pain due to the weight of her breasts.

The 36-year-old wears a 34GG bra but says she’s ‘likely even larger in volume’ and suffers from the ‘constant strain’ they put on her body.

Due to the ‘severe spine, neck and shoulder pain’ as well as ‘lasting posture problems’, she says it is now ‘impossible to work consistently’.

And now she is having to seek financial support as the ‘debilitating’ pain has lead to her ‘mobility and capacity to function’ gradually decreasing.

She says she's tried everything - including physiotherapy, osteopathy, special bras and a 'low inflammation diet' low in dairy, gluten and refined sugar - to reduce her chronic pain without success.

But despite this impact on both her physical and mental health, Mary has been rejected for NHS funding to have the size of her boobs reduced. Unfortunately, she says she cannot afford or earn the money to fund private surgery.

Mary, who has spent two decades working in healthcare, has now set up a GoFundMe in order to help raise the money to go down the private route to have her breasts reduced.

“For those who know me, supporting and caring for people has always been at the heart of who I am, and now I’m realising I'm at a chapter in my life when I need support and care,” she writes.

“Asking for financial support doesn't come easily to me but with kind words from my friends, they've helped me realise that receiving is a reflection of my worth and that I, too, deserve support, care and relief from suffering.”

Mary explains that donations will help her ‘move closer to living pain-free and regain my independence’.

The woman adds that she’s tried ‘countless treatments’ to try and help manage and reduce the pain but it’s just gotten worse over time.

“Movement, standing and sitting causes the pain to increase,” she writes. “I experience extreme burning sensations and pain flare-ups lasting several days where it's so intense that my partner has to care for me completely.”

Mary explains she has watched both her mum and grandma become disabled ‘due to chronic back problems’ and it ‘petrifies’ her, particularly with ‘the structural impact’ on her spine having already been documented

In 2024, policy changes meant Mary doesn’t meet the NHS criteria for funding as she claims the health service told her last year: “Your Individual Funding Request for breast surgery has not been successful. Applications are only considered in exceptional circumstances where ALL current policy criteria are fully met… As you do not have documented evidence of intertrigo or ulceration unresponsive to treatment, your application is declined. Even with your physio report, as you do not meet this criteria, we are unable to approve your request.”

Interigo is a condition where trapped moisture increases skin to skin friction, and causes the bacteria and fungus which is normally present on the skin to overgrow, resulting in a rash.

Instead, she has been offered medication and physiotherapy. Mary is ‘heartbroken’ by this and claims she only doesn’t meet the criteria currently because of ‘specific skin conditions that have nothing to do with the severity of my pain’.

Wanting to work and live without this pain, Mary has currently raised nearly £900 to get the operation, consultations, aftercare and a private MRI. You can donate here.

LADbible has contacted the NHS for comment.