Olympic rower Jean Mitchell has had an evolving relationship with her cancer scars.

What was once a source of pain, now celebrates her greatest achievement.

"I thought it would be really special if I replaced the scar I got from cancer and then slapped the Olympic rings over it to say, 'Look what I did after having you,'" she told ABC Sport.

The journey to Paris

Mitchell made her Olympic debut in Paris last year — materialising what seemed like an impossible dream.

"I've always been obsessed with the Olympics, even when I wasn't an elite athlete," she said.

"I've always loved watching it since I can remember, so actually being able to go and compete was seriously a dream come true."

Mitchell, now 25, was diagnosed with brain cancer when she was 16.

She had throbbing headaches, blur

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