As news broke today that Angelina Jolie had undergone a preventative double mastectomy after discovering she had the BRCA1 gene (a “faulty” gene that increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer), my mind flashed back to the day I found out I also carried the same gene.
I wasn’t altogether surprised when my doctor delivered the news. My greatgrandmother was 68 when she died from breast cancer, and my Nan and mother were diagnosed at 44 and 36 respectively. I had grown up knowing cancer’s name and destructive path, and when I underwent genetic testing at 22, I half expected that their fate would also be mine.
It was — in a sense. Yes, I had the BRCA1 gene, but I also had something my family before me didn’t have — time and the ability to make a life-changing, and saving, choice.
After a few years of screening and surveillance, a mammogram when I was 25 showed changes that, although weren’t indicative of cancer, were well on the way. My time had come to make a decision; let the fates dictate my path, or take my future into my own hands.
Angelina Jolie: Why I had a double mastectomy
I am a mother of three beautiful children and a wife, and I couldn’t imagine living without my family, or them having to live without me.
So I chose the future. On my terms. Of course it wasn’t an easy decision to come to; so much of what it is to be a woman is wrapped up in how we look, and I’d be lying if I said the question of vanity didn’t cross my mind, but at the same time the choice between life or death is pretty simple. I chose life.
I imagine Ms Jolie went through similar emotions to mine the day she had her first surgery. I was anxious, scared, uncertain of how the outcome would leave me feeling. Although I had my incredibly supportive family with me, I also felt alone.
It’s like when I gave birth to my first child; you’re surrounded by loved ones but ultimately what you are going through, you are going through by yourself. The surgery and my recovery was, at times, painful, but I’ve found that waking up and knowing that you’re here to fight another day is great medicine.
Of course I applaud Ms Jolie for coming out and writing about her choice to have a double mastectomy. She said she did it so that other women going through the same situation did not feel alone, and that women in general can understand that they have options and choices. She said she is happy to be able to inform her children that they won’t lose her to cancer. I’m happy about this too, and it is also my aim to ensure women know that they are not alone in their struggles with cancer.
Will I be like mum? Living with the risk of cancer
When I was recovering from the mastectomies in 2009, I created Pink Hope, a community dedicated to inspiring, supporting and informing women at high risk of hereditary cancer. I want the 120,000 Australian women at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer to know that I know how they feel. Pink Hope offers support to many families around Australia, and as it continues to grow, so does my hope that we can live in a world ruled by our choosing.
Krystal Barter lives in Sydney with her husband and three children. She is the founder of Pink Hope, dedicated to inspiring and supporting the community to be proactive and vigilant about breast and ovarian cancer risks and providing information, resources and a support network to those who need it most.
To donate to Pink Hope so they can employ Australia’s first online genetic counsellor to support women like Krystal and Angelina go to www.pinkhope.org.au
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
