Every morning, when the alarm rings, 30-year-old Melissa Ashcroft struggles just to lift herself off the pillow. Her 36M breasts weigh down on her body so much that it takes her up to two hours to get out of bed. Simple tasks feel like heavy labour. She cannot even lift her eight-month-old daughter without intense pain.
Melissa’s large bust is not a luxury — it is a burden. She says the pain began in puberty and has worsened with time. Now, with two children to look after, the weight is physically and emotionally crippling, according to a report by The Sun.
NHS Says No — Because of Her BMI
When Melissa was 20, she asked her GP for breast reduction surgery. She was told to wait until after she had children and breastfed. After giving birth to her two children, she applied again. But this year, doctors rejected her request. Her Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 did not meet NHS criteria — she would need to reduce to a BMI of 27 to qualify.
Because the pain made it impossible for her to exercise, she found the demand impossible to meet. Now, desperate for relief, she has turned to public support — launching a crowdfunding campaign to try to raise £8,000 for private surgery. Private clinics, unlike the NHS, don’t enforce the same BMI limit.
Daily Life Turns Painful: Backaches, Bra Costs, Missed Moments
Melissa’s daily life is full of compromises. She says, “My back feels like I’m 70 years old.” She tries not to rely on painkillers because they make her dizzy.
“I can’t pick up my daughter, and that’s heartbreaking,” she says. “I want to be able to play with her and pick her up.”
Household chores are painful: during cleaning, she must take breaks, and in the morning, she begins with back stretches just to function.
Finding suitable bras is another struggle. The ones in her size cost up to £82 — a price she cannot always afford. She often buys a smaller size, which costs at least £20, but still fits poorly and fails to support her properly.
Melissa believes her breasts might be among the largest in Britain. She recalls a weighing test: with her husband holding up the weight, she lost “two and a half stone” — a massive burden she carries every day.
Pain Since Adolescence — A Lifetime of Discomfort
In her teenage years, Melissa faced ridicule. She says she was bullied first for being “flat-chested,” then teased when she suddenly developed large breasts during puberty. At school, she says she felt isolated — no friends to talk to, no one to share her struggles with. But the physical discomfort began almost immediately: back pain, shoulder strain, invisible but real burdens.
She tried physiotherapy and other pain-relief methods — nothing helped. The pain persisted year after year. Finally, she sought medical help and was told to wait.
Now, after repeated rejections from the public health system and a life full of pain, she hopes private surgery will give her “a complete life changer.” She says: “It would mean the absolute world to me… I’d be able to play with my kids at the park and pick up my daughter.”
When Medical Rules Clash with Human Need
Melissa’s story highlights a wider issue faced by many women with exceptionally large natural breasts. Doctors often require patients to meet certain BMI criteria for breast reduction surgery. But for some, their pain makes weight loss physically very difficult, creating a vicious cycle — pain prevents exercise, exercise could help reduce weight, and the denial of surgery continues.
For women like Melissa, private surgery becomes the only viable option. But private procedures come with a heavy financial burden, putting relief out of reach for many.
Crowdfunding: A Last Resort for Relief
With little hope left in the public health system, Melissa has turned to crowdfunding. The money she seeks would cover the cost of breast reduction surgery — a procedure that could offer her pain relief, mobility, and a chance to live fully with her children again.
If she succeeds, she plans to celebrate in a big way. For her, it’s not about appearance — it’s about comfort, mobility, and motherhood. The surgery could give her back what a 36M chest took away: the simple ability to pick up her child, move without pain, and enjoy daily life.
