NY teacher who has had 4 open heart surgeries bares her scars in a bikini

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Kelsey, a teacher who lives in New York, was diagnosed with a severe heart condition, tetralogy of fallot, at birth
She first had open heart surgery when she was just five weeks old, with her last operation being completed at age 14
The Arkansas native shared an image of herself wearing a bikini on Imgur, to celebrate her new-found feeling of body confidence

Published: 19:40 EST, 4 September 2015 | Updated: 19:50 EST, 4 September 2015

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A teen who suffered from a severe heart defect which required four rounds of open heart surgery has proudly bared her scars in a beautiful bikini shot, which she posted online in an attempt to celebrate her body, and everything that it has been through.

After years of wearing one-piece bathing suits to hide the scar on her torso, Kelsey, 27, a teacher living in New York, who also writes gaming reviews for a website, decided that the time had come to stop being ashamed of what she had been through, and instead embrace the physical 'flaw' - and the incredible recovery that it represents. So, she donned a bikini, enjoyed a day at the beach - and then posted a picture to Imgur, in the hopes that she might inspire a few more people to let go of their insecurities.

'I've often been teased and felt uncomfortable and self-conscious my whole life, especially in low-cut clothes or obviously in a bathing suit,' Kelsey, who was diagnosed with tetralogy of fallot at birth, told Daily Mail Online.

Confidence counts: No longer worried about her scars, Kelsey shows off her swimsuit on Instagram

'I've always been pretty outgoing and confident except for when I felt my scars were on display or if someone drew any attention to them - even if they weren't being unkind.

'It's only been since my last surgery at 14, when I was old enough to really understand and appreciate what I (and my parents) had been through that I realized the scars don't matter and it's what I do now that's important.

'I still don't suddenly think my scars are pretty or anything, but rather I now understand that they're an important part of my story and without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. We should all love ourselves and I love the person I've become, scars and all.'

Kelsey's feeling of confidence and happiness in herself is a true sign of just how far she has come; the teacher, who was born in Arkansas, went through her first round of open heart surgery when she was just five weeks old, after she went into cardiac arrest during a routine check-up.

'They airlifted me to Arkansas Children's Hospital, a place I would from then on have to visit about once a year for the next 21 years of my life and even now should still be visiting every year and a half or so,' she explained.

Finding peace: Michelle Elman, 21, also recently posted a photograph of herself in a two-piece suit on Instagram and said that she wants to 'stand up and be proud' of her body, scars and all

Instagram image: Rachel Hollis recently revealed her post-baby body after three difficult pregnancies

'The next two surgeries were both before I was two, one planned, the other another emergency.'

After the first three surgeries, Kelsey said she had a 'relatively normal childhood', except for 'the big, ugly scar running down the middle of my chest'.

'I'm pretty comfortable with myself and my scar now, but let me tell you, growing up as a pre-teen girl with a giant scar on your chest, well, it's kind of tough at times,' she added. 'I was self-conscious enough already, for goodness sake.'

In her original post on Imgur, Kelsey explained that she is 'so proud' to finally feel confident enough in herself to show her bikini off in public; and she's not the only one to have embraced her body in this kind of way.

Michelle Elman, 21, who is originally from Hong Kong and now lives in London, used to cover up scars on her stomach caused by operations needed for serious health problems.

But she shared a picture of herself in a bikini on Instagram last month, saying she wants to 'stand up and be proud' of her body - scars and all - earning praise from tens of thousands of people in the process.

And then there's Rachel Hollis, a married mother of three, who was vacationing in Mexico in March when she decided to do something for all the moms out there: pose in her bikini on the beach, proudly flaunting her post-pregnancy body.