Due to many cancer cases in our family, my mother decided to take a genetic test. She quickly found out that she carried the BRCA2 gene, the same gene that had already taken four members of our family… including her sisters and her 20-year-old niece.
As a mother of a 13-year-old daughter myself, I immediately decided to get tested too. I was positive. I quickly had an ultrasound and a mammogram to check on my health.
And then… boom, the bomb dropped, the world stopped: a carcinoma was trying to settle in…
I was rushed into surgery: an oophorectomy, followed by a mastectomy of the affected breast. After analysis—and with a lot of luck—my lymph nodes were not affected, and I was in the clear!
I then chose to undergo a preventive mastectomy on the other breast, with reconstruction of both at the same time. I no longer have nipples, and that was my choice after long discussions with my doctors—to be completely safe.
On August 5th, it will be two years… I’m doing well, and that’s all that matters!
Life or a pair of breasts… I made my choice!
I have no regrets about my decisions. Long live life!
BRCA+ Network asbl
