Angelina Jolie reveals she has had a double mastectomy

Speaking out about cancer: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Photograph: Rex Attributes

Studying Angelina Jolie’s op-ed in the New York Instances, in which she advised the planet about the preventative surgical procedure she has undergone, I was impressed by her ability to mix such a vulnerable revelation with a assured, daily life-affirming tone. Her determination to go public about her medical remedy was gorgeous – brave, daring and beautiful. Raising awareness elevates the level of understanding and diminishes the degree of worry.

Blogging about the numerous procedures that Angelina underwent on our clinic site was enjoyable for me. I had her permission to reveal details of her remedy in my website and it was excellent to be capable to educate about the BRCA gene mutation, to demystify the confusing method of mastectomies and to assist other people make well-informed choices.

If individuals take anything at all from this, it should be this easy message: a BRCA gene mutation can make your chance for breast and ovarian cancer exceptionally high. To find out if you ought to be examined (by means of a simple blood or saliva test), get a 1-minute quiz at brcagenetest.com.

Getting concerned in Angelina’s recovery felt like creating an improbable game-saving play – exciting that I can do some thing critical not for myself but for the team. It’s had real affect, as well. In the 5 weeks following Angelina’s announcement 3,000 more women sought testing than would have been expected. This may have saved as several as 300 lives in these first weeks alone.

I never ever felt concerned about the public scrutiny of Angelina’s reconstructive surgery. She had already passed the check: she produced numerous appearances among two February and 14 May possibly, whilst her treatment was underway, and no 1 suspected a issue! I bear in mind watching a video of her eloquent speech at the G8 Summit in London in April – as she spoke in front of the world’s leading foreign ministers, I stared at what I knew were tissue expanders and imagined: “Nope, no one can inform.”

Angelina Jolie reveals she has had a double mastectomy