“My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer
and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer,” writes Angelina Jolie, actress
and director, in today's op-ed piece for the New York Times after sharing with the world that she'd just undergone a preventive double mastectomy.
“Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could,” she writes. “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.”
At the core of her difficult decision to undergo surgery was her mother, who she lost after a decade-long battle with the disease, and her children, who questioned her about the illness that took their grandmother away and if the same could happen to their mother.
The preventive double mastectomy involved three months of medical procedures at the Pink Lotus Breast Centre, from Feb 2 to April 27. And in her story, Jolie details the major procedures she underwent and underscores the supportive role played by her partner, actor Brad Pitt.
“I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience...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."
“Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could,” she writes. “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.”
At the core of her difficult decision to undergo surgery was her mother, who she lost after a decade-long battle with the disease, and her children, who questioned her about the illness that took their grandmother away and if the same could happen to their mother.
The preventive double mastectomy involved three months of medical procedures at the Pink Lotus Breast Centre, from Feb 2 to April 27. And in her story, Jolie details the major procedures she underwent and underscores the supportive role played by her partner, actor Brad Pitt.
“I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience...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."
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