Angelina Jolie After Double Mastectomy Procedure: "I hope that other women can benefit from my experience"

Angelina Jolie revealed she has had a double mastectomy to reduce "an 87 percent risk of breast cancer".
She opened up about her cancer fears writing in the New York Times.

"My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56", she shared, "... the truth is I carry a “faulty” gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer... 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."

She added that her plans to reveal the news publicly was to help other women discover what options are available to them: "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."

Jolie encourages women under risk around the world to not be afraid: "I wanted to write this to tell other women that 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... It is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable. They can see my small scars and that’s it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was... I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity."


The actress also talks about her partner, Brad Pitt's support during the process and how helpful it is to get through it faster: "I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive. So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition. Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has."


You can read the whole article in New York Times.

Special thank you's to Angelina for bravery to share this,
Stay healthy,


xo K