This morning I cried when I heard on the radio that Angelina Jolie had announced through an article in the NY Times that she had tested positive for a genetic mutation that is known to make one more succeptible to breast cancer. As soon as I got to work, I looked up the article and read it, crying once again. She decided to have a preventitive double mastectamy to cut down her chances of having this horrible disease. The reason I cried is because I, too, have a genetic mutation that makes it more likely that I will have breast cancer (or ovarian cancer) in my lifetime. 87% to be exact. I found this out 3 years ago, when I was only 25 years old. Reading her article has not only made me more secure in the fact that I will have to have the same procedure some day, but it excites me that someone is finally REALLY getting the word out about the fact that people can be tested for this genetic mutation and can be proactive in fighting cancer. Since I plan on possibly having more children, it is too soon for me to have the double mastectamy or to remove my ovaries, but there are other things I can do to be proactive. This is one of the main reasons I began eating clean and exercising more often. The healthier I am, the better my body can fight off infections, diseases, and cancer. While I will always have that 87% chance of getting breast cancer (until I have my breasts removed), I know that I can prolong my healthy life by being healthy and watching what I put in and on my body. I am going to leave you with a link to the strong, emopowered article Angelina Jolie wrote for the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html?_r=2&
Related articles
- Angelina Jolie Undergoes Preventive Double Mastectomy (accidentvictimsalliance.com)
- Angelina Jolie reveals she had double mastectomy (abc.net.au)
- Angelina Jolie has double mastectomy (guardian.co.uk)
The Morning Bell 
So very, very proud of you and what you are doing to educate yourself and others about genetic breast cancer and even MORE proud of what you are doing to hopefully prevent it for yourself and my PRECIOUS grandson!!
I’m so pleased to have found your blog and I must say I shared your reaction to this news. My mother died from breast cancer when she was 50. I’ve not had genetic testing yet – bit of head hiding in the sand syndrome; it’s scary! – but I do try to live a healthy life. Maybe the universe is telling me something here. Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much! I’m glad you like it. I’m so sorry about the loss of your mother, but glad to hear you are trying to be healthy too. Keep up the great work!!