You Can’t Change Your Genes, But You Can Change What You Do About Them
I’m a breast cancer survivor.
I feel almost guilty putting those words out there, because I never had to undergo chemo or radiation. In fact, I didn’t even know I HAD cancer in my body until AFTER I was recovering from what was a preventive or prophylactic bilateral mastectomy.
It was the post-surgery pathology report that revealed the “Stage 0” cancer that had apparently been slowly growing undetected for years. But let me explain how I ended up having surgery…
You see, for more than a decade, I have been carrying around the knowledge that I am at high-risk for breast cancer because of family history. My paternal grandmother and my sister were both diagnosed with breast cancer in their forties.
But beyond mere family history, I’ve known since 2014 that I carry a mutation in the CHEK2 gene. (You may have heard of the BRCA gene, as it’s been the most studied and publicized, but there are actually 14 “breast cancer genes” whose mutations place women in the high-risk category.)
I followed the protocol of enhanced surveillance (MRIs and mammograms) every six months for many, many years. I endured many callbacks for additional images, as well as several biopsies over the years, but I drew my line in the sand last fall after one particularly worrisome scare (which turned out to be benign).
That’s when I said enough is enough and asked for a preventive mastectomy, which reduces my lifetime risk of breast cancer from 48% to less than 5%.
My sister was also a CHEK2 carrier; sadly, that information was discovered too late in her battle to make a difference.
The author, Jen with her siblings. Steph (second from left) died from breast cancer
But knowledge COULD make a difference for someone else…like my children or my nieces and nephews. And maybe for you or someone you love.
If you or a friend or loved one have a strong family history of breast cancer, I highly recommend looking into genetic testing from a qualified genetic counselor (NOT one of those home DNA kits that you mail in).
I can’t change my genes, but I can change what I do about them.
Genetic testing gave me knowledge that helped me feel empowered. I trusted my gut and ultimately, that spared me from full-blown metastatic breast cancer.
My sister was my first best friend in life, and I miss her terribly. Every. Single. Day.
I wrote an e-book in her honor to help my family understand all this hereditary breast cancer risk stuff, as well as to outline my sister’s story and my own in the hopes that it could help our kids.
I recently decided to make the e-book available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds going to organizations that increase awareness of breast cancer, genetic testing, and hereditary cancer risk.
If you think the guide I’ve written could also help you or someone you know, it’s available at: https://jennervin.thrivecart.com/ripped-genes/ so please share this with them.
I invite you to visit my new website at www.jennervin.com to learn even more.
