Angelina Jolie, the 37-year-old Hollywood actress, who is been idolized by millions of people all over the world for her astonishing performances in movies such as Tomb Raider, Mr and Mrs Smith, and Original Sin, proved to the world that she is not only a movie idol but also a true brave woman by undergoing double mastectomy. Most of the people were shocked by this revelation. The actress took this brave decision to prevent the risk of cancer in the future. She is one of the most successful actress of Hollywood today and she is also well known for her physical assets but with this decision she has set an example to millions of people throughout the world that health should be the most important priority in everybody's life rather than fame or money. People still find themselves helpless and powerless when they hear the word cancer but this courageous act of Angelina Jolie will definitely be an example for millions of women, who will now find the courage to fight against breast and ovarian cancer.
Family History
Angelina Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, was a victim of cancer, who fought bravely with cancer for almost a decade but finally surrendered to it at an age of 56, before she was able to see most of her grandchildren. After the death of her mother, Angelina realized that her body is also a carrier of a faulty gene, called BRCA1. This gene is responsible for producing a protein, which increases the risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Clinical Findings
According to the findings of Angelina's doctors, they estimated that she has an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer in the future. These findings led her to eliminate the risk of cancer by undergoing a double mastectomy.
Clinical Procedures
As the findings proved that the risk associated with breast cancer was greater than ovarian cancer, Angelina started treatments on her breasts. Her first clinical procedures began on February 27, 2013, at the Pink Lotus Breast Centre, with a procedure known as a "nipple delay." This procedure rules out disease in the breast ducts which are behind the nipple and increases the blood flow to this area. This procedure is painful and a lot of bruising is involved but it increases the chance of saving the nipple from cancerous growth. Two weeks later, she underwent an major surgery, in which her breast tissue was removed and it was replaced by temporary fillers. This surgery took 8 hours to be completed. On April 27, 2013, she completed the three months of medical procedures associated with mastectomies. During all these time, she succeeded in keeping her clinical procedures a secret from public.
Angelina's Public Disclosure After Her Double Mastectomy
After her surgery Angelina Jolie gave a brave message to the world by writing a powerful op-ed article. She described that after her double mastectomy, she felt like she was acting in a science-fiction movie with drain tubes and expanders connected to her breasts. She also confessed that, the decision to have a mastectomy was not an easy one but now she is happy because she was able to take the right choice, which in no way diminishes her femininity. She also pointed out that people who are suffering from cancer, most importantly need the love and support of their partner. She thanked her partner, Brad Pitt for his support and love which helped her to overcome this transition. She also wrote that she made her surgery public because she wanted to encourage each and every women in this world to come forward and get gene tested for breast cancer. She wrote these inspiring words in her article, "Life comes with challenges. the ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of."
According to the World Health Organization, more than 458,000 people die each year from breast cancer. Let's hope that this message by Angelina Jolie will inspire millions of women to fight against cancer.
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