Tracey Emin has shared a graphic photo of her stoma in a bid to raise awareness about living with disabilities following her battle with cancer.
The 58-year-old artist posted a photo of her stoma pouch on Instagram with her followers on Wednesday.
She underwent a series of major operations in 2020 after she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer during the lockdown.
Tracey had parts of her bladder, urethra, lymph nodes removed, as well as bits of her intestine and vagina to prevent the tumour from spreading.
The artist told Instagram fans she was fitted with a stoma pouch - which is ab opening on the abdomen - that allows urine to be diverted out of the body and disposed of via a urostomy bag.
Alongside the image she posted on Instagram, Tracey penned: "This is my stoma. Most people have never seen one. It's something I'm supposed to hide forever.
"It's part of my intestine attached to the outside of my body. Without it being there and functioning correctly, I will die."
She continued: "[It's] live flesh. Fragile and delicate. Surrounded by scar tissue and swollen puffy fatty flesh.
"I have almost total muscle wastage in my core abdomen, stomach. My body will never be the same.
"To be honest I find wearing the bag quite depressing. Nothing cool about carrying a bag of p*** around with you.
"But it's life.. my life now. Many disabilities can not be seen. But I thought I'd show you mine."
Back in May last year, Tracey revealed she had to have half her vagina removed in brutal surgery to cure her aggressive bladder cancer.
She appeared on BBC's Woman's Hour with Emma Barnett when she detailed exactly what went on during the surgery.
"It was unbelievable. It all happened within three weeks. The whole finding out - the diagnosis, the prognosis and the surgery. It was pretty phenomenal," she said.
The artist continued: "I had my bladder removed. I had my uterus removed. My fallopian tubes, my urethra, part of my intestine. My lymph nodes and half of my vagina."
Tracey admitted she didn't know how to respond when the surgeon told her what she was going to have removed.
"It was quite funny," she told Emma. "When the surgeon was telling me what I was going to have removed, and he said my urethra, I said: 'You're joking aren't you? Please tell me there's nothing else'.
"And he goes, 'Actually, there is. Your vagina'. And that was it, I was laughing actually. But I think I was putting on a brave face at the time."
She added she is 'happy to have her life back' following the procedure.
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