Breast cancer survivor crowned Miss World

By Adam Dutton

A breast cancer survivor from Thailand has been crowned the winner of Miss World 2025.

Opal Suchata Chuangsri, 21, made history after becoming the first Thai woman to win the international beauty pageant.

The reigning Miss Thailand managed to beat off 107 contestants from around the globe to claim the title in India on Saturday.

It comes after Miss England winner Milla Magee made a shock announcement to quit the competition just days from the final, citing ‘personal reasons’ for the last-minute exit.

The 24-year-old lifeguard dropped out halfway through the glitzy beauty pageant, which started in Hyderabad, India, on May 7, before flying back to Cornwall.

The newly-crowned 72nd Miss World Opal fought to victory after overcoming a breast cancer diagnosis at just 16 years old.

Luckily, the tumor was benign, and doctors were able to treat it before it spread. Opal has used her beauty queen platform to spread awareness for young women across the world.

She said: "This moment is not just a personal victory, it is a shared dream of every young girl who wants to be seen, heard, and create change.

"I am honoured to represent this legacy and use my time as Miss World to make a real difference.”

She has since founded Opal for Her, a project that aims to provide early detection and awareness for breast cancer.

She says pageantry gave her ‘a voice’ to spread the message and that it has let her ‘advocate’ for breast cancer prevention.

Opal added, “When I discovered a lump in my breast at the age of 16, I was not afraid of pain. I was afraid of losing my dreams.

“At that moment, everything felt uncertain, like my future was slipping away. Although the tumour was benign, the fear was real.

“And that fear became a turning point in my life. I come from a family where breast cancer is an additional threat, so I think it is very important to raise awareness and make it more relevant in our society, especially among the youth, where we have to create a strong foundation for understanding the importance of early detection.

“That experience lit a spark in me, a desire to help other women. But back then, I had no platform, no voice. So I started by sharing my stories with people close to me.

“Then I stepped into the pageantry field. It might sound cliche but it was through pageantry that I found my voice.

“I met a woman who believed in me, and this very group of women became a living proof that my story is worth sharing.

“They now gave me the strength and inspiration, empowering me to spread this advocacy further.”

She added: “That is how Opal for Her began, a project on breast cancer awareness and early detection.

“We started by creating a podcast platform to put the conversation more on the table, especially in Thai society, where these topics are often overlooked or stigmatised.

“We interviewed survivors, doctors, and even the Ministry of Public Health to ensure that the voices of the patients and medical personnel are heard not only in hospitals, but at all levels.”

Opal also won the contest’s multimedia round and topped the contestant app leaderboard with over 2.3 million views.

Miss World chair Julia Morley CBE said: "Opal has shown us that she is more than a winner - she is a woman of purpose, with a voice that the world is ready to hear.”