Last night, I received an email alert from the New York Times with an article entitled, “Angelina Jolie Pitt: Diary of a Surgery.” My first thought was “here we go again.” As you may recall (who in the world doesn’t), two years ago, Angelina Jolie (pre-Pitt) underwent a “preventative” double mastectomy. I wrote about it here shortly thereafter.
Please allow me to recap a bit: after her original OpEd disclosure I had a bit of a (okay, a big!) problem with her article, beginning with the fact that “prevention” was an incorrect word for her to use when talking about breast cancer. Prevention simply cannot accurately be used in the same sentence with breast cancer. The truth of the matter is that – unfortunately – at this time no one knows specifically how to “prevent” cancer. All we know now is how to reduce the risk that a person will get cancer, but no intervention is fully protective against acquiring the disease (which, for the record, is a big fat f-bomb!). So, her OpEd piece was quite misleading and led many people to make choices “because that’s what Angelina Jolie did.” Sigh.
Now there were several Silver Linings of Angelina Jolie’s original public disclosure. First, it encouraged people (men, too! – I have a friend whose dad died of FBC) to look into their family history. This is so so so important! Additionally, she didn’t make sweeping generalizations or “should”on anyone. I appreciate this very much. I am also inspired by the fact that one of the most beautiful women in the world bravely and publicly declared that her breasts do not define her; her power over her health and her body had trumped her dependence on a body part to express her femininity. “I do not feel any less of a woman,” she declared. “I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.”
Okay, so fast forward to today’s Diary of a Surgery. I actually cringed when I saw this. You see, after having had my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed (along with my uterus and cervix) to decrease my risk of developing a breast cancer recurrence or ovarian cancer, I didn’t want her “speaking” for me. The Silver Lining is that this article was SO.MUCH.BETTER than the first one! She was articulate, practical, sensitive, personal, and – best of all! – accurate.
I did not do this solely because I carry the BRCA1 gene mutation, and I want other women to hear this. A positive BRCA test does not mean a leap to surgery. I have spoken to many doctors, surgeons and naturopaths. There are other options. Some women take birth control pills or rely on alternative medicines combined with frequent checks. There is more than one way to deal with any health issue. The most important thing is to learn about the options and choose what is right for you personally.
Additionally, she fully recognized that it isn’t possible to remove all risk. Best of all, she acknowledged how difficult it is to make decisions such as these. Heaven knows that I know this, both personally as a patient and professionally as a nurse. However; the ultimate Silver Lining is that
it is possible to take control and tackle head-on any health issue. You can seek advice, learn about the options and make choices that are right for you. Knowledge is power.
So, THANK YOU, Angelina Jolie Pitt for bringing this important topic to the forefront of public dialogue today (and probably for the next month!).
And thank YOU Hollye for always keeping us informed! xo
Awwwww, thanks Cynthia! Thank YOU for informing me about Dong!
Great insight Hollye! I still take issue with the fact that Angelina publicly declared that her breasts do not define her. I believe she fared well with a new set of unusually large breasts, that are just not possible any other way when one is that thin. Women that have not elected to have reconstruction might really be the ones that fit this category.
Very well said, Mary Beth. Many thanks!
I decided not to have reconstruction, and I feel great. I don’t feel less than a woman, for me there was no need to replace my breast ( personal choice) because my breast doesn’t define me as a woman. I just hope more women have the means to do what Angelina Jolie is doing. We actually had to deal with the insurance making sure they will cover my procedures. Our bills started to pill up and my wallet was put on a rigorous diet. We manage to survive, but I’m aware of others that have no money to get medicine, food, or even the procedures needed to survive. Sometimes making a choice is more difficult when you don’t have the means to do it.
So glad to hear that, Gloria! Thank you so much for sharing. Please take good care!