I know that it probably comes as a shock to most of you that I am not Angelina Jolie, but I do have something in common with her. I carry a BRCA gene mutation that significantly increases my risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
There has been a lot written about how brave Angelina is to not only go public but also take radical action based on the statistically significant “maybe” that she would get cancer. I agree that she has bravely opened the door into her life in a very personal and poignant way to help educate women worldwide through increased awareness of the BRCA gene mutation. I’m also here to tell you that I think she made her choice because she loves life and has a willingness to do whatever it takes to not only survive, but to thrive.
Would you be willing to have surgery if you knew that it would dramatically increase your chances of a long and happy life with the people who you love, doing work that matters and making a difference? I would.
I’m a little embarrassed to write that took me a few years to get tested once I knew I could have the BRCA mutation and I put it off because of fear. Finally, I went to the genetic counselor, swished some mouthwash in my mouth and had the results just a few days later. Despite the fact that my results were positive, the fear disappeared, and my desire to be proactive kicked in immediately.
When faced with a decision to have surgery (no, I did not opt for a mastectomy) and be able to increase my chances of one day holding my grandchildren, it was a no brainer decision. I tested positive for the gene and two weeks later had my ovaries removed in a procedure called a prophylactic oophorectomy. I did not sit paralyzed by the worry that surgical menopause would be so awful that it was worth living with an enormous risk of breast or ovarian cancer.
Are you at risk and waiting to get tested because you don’t want bad news? You’re afraid of what you’ll find out? Getting tested and having regular screening does not give you cancer; it puts you in the driver’s seat instead of the backseat. Knowing is not a death sentence, it’s saying yes to life!
According to Cancer.gov:
According to estimates of lifetime risk, about 12.0 percent of women (120 out of 1,000) in the general population will develop breast cancer sometime during their lives compared with about 60 percent of women (600 out of 1,000) who have inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2.
While the risk is high, the Susan G Komen Foundation reminds us:
Having a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation does not mean you are going to get breast cancer. Some people with a mutation will never get breast cancer. And, people without a mutation are still at risk (most women who develop breast cancer do not have a BRCA mutation)
You may be wondering if you should get tested for the BRCA mutation given all of the recent publicity about Angelina Jolie, Christina Applegate, Sharon Osbourne and other celebrities. Not everyone shares the same level of risk and not everyone needs to be tested. Here is a great summary of who should be tested and if you see yourself in high-risk population, empower yourself to take action.
Here’s what I learned and am still learning…
- I am at risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer (so are you)
- I am a leader in my own life and I always have a choice (you do too)
- I made the choice that is right for me (but may not be right for you)
- I choose to be positive while also understanding reality. A positive realist! (you can too)
- I need to live a healthy life to have a long and happy life (so do you)
- I can pour countless hours into reading message boards assuming that someone else’s decision or someone else’s experience will mirror my own (it will not)
- I choose to live a life of purpose filled with connection, relationships and work that matters (you choose too)
Fear can feel debilitating if we let it. Still, here’s what humans have shown us generation after generation to be true: Each of us has reserves of courage that flow deeper than we ever imagined, we just need to look within to find the path to the source. It’s also true for you.
You are not alone! Resources:
FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered)
PSI (Link to MRI Financial Assistance Program for Young Women)
BRCA Umbrella (Bringing together those dealing with a BRCA or other gene mutation)
Susan G. Komen (Link to information on testing and risk with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation)
What about you? When have you let fear hold you back from proactive? What happened once you got over the hump of worry and into action?
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