Angelina Jolie’s op-ed in the New York Times today is sparking conversations around the world about preemptive mastectomies. The actress and philanthropist came forward with her decision to undergo the invasive medical procedure after learning that she carried the ‘faulty’ gene, BRCA1. Her doctors estimated that the gene increased her personal risk of getting breast cancer to 87% and increased her risk of getting ovarian cancer to 50% - the same disease that she lost her mother to.

“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.”

Jolie is not alone in her decision, many others have choosen to undergo the same elective surgery and call themselves “Previvors”. Statistically, those who opt for the surgery decrease their risk of getting breast cancer from an average of 67% to just a 5% - 10% chance. Although this is a personal and controversial decision, we applaud Jolie for coming forward with her decision and speaking openly about it.

“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.”

We also want to share an article of another brave woman named Claudia Gilmore. She was featured in our Keep A Breast Magazine Issue #2 and talks about her decision to have the elective mastectomy and how you can take personal risk into your own hands.

It may seem strange for a girl in her 20’s who has never had breast cancer to think about it as much as I do. I used to look at my family history and think that I will one day share their legacy and be diagnosed with breast cancer. I obsessed over this thought. I was sure that I had the “breast cancer gene” and that it would be a death sentence. And I am not alone. A survey by the National Breast Cancer Coalition found that over 50 percent of women believe that most breast cancers have a hereditary link - but in truth it’s only 5-10%!

So after I wrapped my head around the fact that just because family members of mine had breast cancer didn’t mean that I would be diagnosed, I wanted to learn more about what causes cancer, and what my risk was. I decided that instead of fixating over these scary thoughts of cancer that I would take all this fear and turn it into a manageable risk (mind you this epiphany came after crying my eyes out to my co-workers in public because I was so scared to take a preventative screening test).

If you’re concerned, or simply interested in knowing your risk, first take a look at your whole family’s cancer history (including your dad’s side). If incidences of cancer are present, consider a genetic test to see if you have a BRCA1 or BRCA 2 mutation (a change that can lead to cancer).

If you have not inherited the harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA1 your lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is 12%, and is linked to a random mix of factors; chemicals found within everyday products, hormone replacement therapy; age, weight or just the luck of the draw. However if you have inherited the “breast cancer gene” your risk shoots up to a 60% chance of developing breast cancer.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. states that “Simply having a proven gene abnormality does not necessarily mean that a woman will develop breast cancer, or that her cancer will be any worse than cancer that does not stem from an inherited genetic flaw.”

KAB feels that knowledge is power and the results will help you develop a proactive, preventative strategy for your long-term health and well-being.

So what if you were diagnosed with these genes? For those who test positive for the “breast cancer genes” doctors typically recommend alternating mammograms and MRIs every six months (for early detection of cancer) or preventative surgery. We understand this can sometimes become a bit overwhelming – we know. Daily we speak to people who want to do more, become involved, and learn more. Recently we met Claudia, a previvor. PREvivor’s are people who do not have cancer but possess a genetic predisposition to develop the disease.

At just 25 years old, and having tested positive for the BRCA1 gene, Claudia heard and applied to be a part of our Treasured Chest program – a program that gives newly diagnosed woman with breast cancer a unique opportunity to document their body and their feelings at a specific time in their treatment by turning their casted torso into a beautiful piece of art. Taking a preventative stance, Claudia had not been diagnosed with breast cancer, but asked her doctor “Why should I let my youth act as a barrier to being proactive about my health?” and decided to undergo a mastectomy to lower her personal risk of 90% to approximately 1-3%.

Positively, and yet still an extreme case, Claudia’s case represents an active and educated stance for her specific diagnosis. We are all unique and we are all faced with important, potentially life-changing decisions. Taking the next step was clear for Claudia; first education and then she started blogging on Previve, a site for PREvivors. Claudia worked with her team to create webisodes to educate, inspire, and address questions many others are dealing with - What will it feel like to never feel my breasts again? Will I feel like less of a woman when my milk ducts are gone and I can never breastfeed? Should I opt for nipples, or tattoo them on?

In her own words; “We struggle to make sense of our risk and find the best way to counteract it…. I’m no longer mourning the loss of my breasts but now I’m anxious to embrace the new ones that won’t try to kill me.” We look forward to hearing more from Claudia, as well as from all our increasingly educated friends.

- Claudia Gilmore