by Angelina Jolie

MY MOTHER fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold them in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was.

We often speak of “Mommy’s mommy,” and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a “faulty” gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman.

Only a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation. Those with a defect in BRCA1 have a 65 percent risk of getting it, on average.

Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.

On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures that the mastectomies involved. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work.

But I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.

My own process began on Feb. 2 with a procedure known as a “nipple delay,” which rules out disease in the breast ducts behind the nipple and draws extra blood flow to the area. This causes some pain and a lot of bruising, but it increases the chance of saving the nipple.

Two weeks later I had the major surgery, where the breast tissue is removed and temporary fillers are put in place. The operation can take eight hours. You wake up with drain tubes and expanders in your breasts. It does feel like a scene out of a science-fiction film. But days after surgery you can be back to a normal life.

Nine weeks later, the final surgery is completed with the reconstruction of the breasts with an implant. There have been many advances in this procedure in the last few years, and the results can be beautiful.

I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.

It is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable. They can see my small scars and that’s it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can. On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.

I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive. So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition. Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has.

For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.

I acknowledge that there are many wonderful holistic doctors working on alternatives to surgery. My own regimen will be posted in due course on the Web site of the Pink Lotus Breast Center. I hope that this will be helpful to other women.

Breast cancer alone kills some 458,000 people each year, according to the World Health Organization, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. It has got to be a priority to ensure that more women can access gene testing and lifesaving preventive treatment, whatever their means and background, wherever they live. The cost of testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, at more than $3,000 in the United States, remains an obstacle for many women.

I choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they have strong options.

Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of.

Angelina Jolie is a hollywood actress and director.



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Angelina jolie just proove that she is exceptional..to have the courage to do this and tell the world., she has just sent a clear message to women all around the world to take breast cancer seriously. This is what celebrities should use their fame for!! Raising awareness for important things, she might have just save a few lives in the world.

She took A̶̲̥̅ wise decision

Thumbs up angie girl... You are rock... Strong move.

I admire you still.

whao whao whao. Thats a bold step Angie. I wish ALL women had d resources to do dat

Waow!she took a very bold,courageous aπϑ wonderful step! May God provide for as many dat need to do dis too. Cos money ℓ̊Ƨ̷̜̩̌̋ a factor too.

Wow! What a brave and bold step! Thumbs up Angelina Pitt Jolie

Btw, no "before and after" picture?

My name is Evelyn Salt.

So u mean no more smooching for her.... Mehn!!! Dat one bad oo,well sha prevention is better than cure.. If removing the bosoms will prevent her from Cancer,so be it.

Bold move. What goes next? Ovaries? Cancer is a byiatch.

hmmm....all shall become dust someday

Someone is asking me her new picture here

Choi! Na wa ooo... Xo, if shez acting porn nw, what will her lesbian partner suck?

Good move jolie

Does this imply that she no longer has a bosom?

Essentially she's a guy now. Without them balls

What a brave woman! having both bre@st removed removed after learning
she had an 87% risk of getting cancer.
It takes a lot of courage to do what she did.

...WTF!.... Kudos to her..... That's BRAVERY!!!!

When Karen Igho said she had breast implants to reduce her risk of cancer, people disbelieved her and even called her names. Now Jolie says the same thing and everyone is applauding her and seeing her as a heroine. What a biased world.

190: so does that mean she has no b-r-e-s-ts anymore

what would her husband suck

Left alone, i'll never allow my wife take off her b-o-o-bs cos of cancer


what would i suck

except shes prepared i go outside to suck more b-o-o-bs cos i dont joke with b-o-o-bs at all

i suck atleast 3 per day

there are many mental instituitions in nigeria that will gladly take you in

so?

Cherish100: When Karen Igho said she had breast implants to reduce her risk of cancer, people disbelieved her and even called her names. Now Jolie says the same thing and everyone is applauding her and seeing her as a heroine. What a biased world.

how does having implants reduce risk of cancer?implants rather increase the risk of cancer.jolie had a preventive double mastectomy..layman language,thats removal and not implant

190: so does that mean she has no b-r-e-s-ts anymore

what would her husband suck

Left alone, i'll never allow my wife take off her b-o-o-bs cos of cancer


what would i suck

except shes prepared i go outside to suck more b-o-o-bs cos i dont joke with b-o-o-bs at all

i suck atleast 3 per day

And... Seun and mods still allow the likes of these still post ! Despite all his 21 commandments

This is why I hate Nairaland and stopped coming - the double standards !

190: so does that mean she has no b-r-e-s-ts anymore

what would her husband suck

Left alone, i'll never allow my wife take off her b-o-o-bs cos of cancer


what would i suck

except shes prepared i go outside to suck more b-o-o-bs cos i dont joke with b-o-o-bs at all

i suck atleast 3 per day

. LWKMD

She said: “The amount of women who literally come up to me on the street and say I just wanted to say thank you for highlighting what you went through I decided to get tested and unfortunately I also have the gene.
remember her mum died cause of the same cancer..get more
http://www.weyab.com/2013/05/im-over-moon-angelina-jolie-has.html