BRCA2 Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Rev. Colleen Irwin

BRCA2

I have the BRCA2 gene mutation that raised my risk to over a 90% chance I would have breast cancer.

Every woman that decides to have genetic testing has a reason. Mine was my family history. In 2018 my mother lost her battle with cancer. Breast cancer when she was 30 and again at 50. Then cervical, bladder and ultimately stomach cancer that took her life. Both her mother and grandmother also had breast cancer, so we believe that is where the gene comes from. One of my mother’s cousins died from Ovarian cancer.

My story is very different. I decided to find out my genetic risk and fight this on my own terms. I didn’t wait for cancer. With that, I am doing everything to ensure that I do not have to have cancer. Which resulted in some body altering decisions with a hysterectomy, followed by double mastectomy and reconstruction. I was 53 when I did this, older than most women, so the stories I saw were of much younger women going through this process.

I feel fortunate that everything has come back clear and that I caught this before it was a problem. Many women who undergo preventative surgery, end up only to find cancer at a very early stage. As a #previvor I have learned much about myself and how strong I am. I have not always had it easy going through the process. Others have had it far worse than I have. This is my story and what has happened as I have gone through this journey. It is my hopes that somehow my story will help someone else go through the process with a little more ease.