By: Tracy Milgram-Posner Happy PREVIVOR Day. Ever go away to separate yourself from the world! Research a place, see what amenities they have while you are there and the research you’ve done wasn’t good enough. That’s how I felt for the last few months, before COVID19. BRCAStrong has been educating the community for previvors, survivors and thrivers whether you carry…
By: Dr. Simran Malhotra Dr. Simran Malhotra is a double board certified palliative care physician and mom of two. She is a BRCA 1 previvor who recently had a bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction, embracing the flat life and a total hysterectomy. She openly shares her story hoping to inspire others walking a similar path to hers. She is also a…
By: Susan I’m Susan and I work in digital communications in London and this is my story of being tested for a BRCA mutation, my choice to have preventative bi-lateral mastectomy and what I have learned about myself through this life changing process. It was May 2013 when Angelina Jolie announced that she was a carrier of the BRCA1 gene…
By: Tracy Milgram-Posner When you sign up for insurance have you ever thought to check for out of state benefits? Well guess what I did not! Now I am paying for it and pay a monthly premium. Is it my fault Blue Cross Blue shield doesn’t have a contract with any microsurgeons in South Florida to have the DIEP flap done.…
By; Jessica Filloon Jessica is a Cancer Survivor, Reiki Master, Oncology Reiki Practitioner + Teacher, Yoga Instructor and creator of the Soul Seeds Affirmation Deck. Her healing and teaching work is focused around Cancer recovery. In 2016 Jessica was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer while pregnant with her second child. And it was at this time that her yoga…
By Jess Crowley I was 18 when I had first surgery for endometriosis. Less than a year later when I was 19 I started having pain again but all day every day, not just with periods. I thought it was just endometriosis and I had just started working and didn’t want to have to use sick leave for a surgery…
By: Randalynn Vasel I was 36 years old, young, healthy, a part-time single mom of 2…I’m just stressed out, work is crazy, my workout routine is stale…that’s why I’m exhausted and losing weight. I can’t be sick, no way… I’m sure these are all the thoughts we have, right?? We don’t have time to stop ignoring what our body is…
By: Ingrid Kolstoe I am another woman in my family that has Ovarian cancer. My grandmother Lois died of Ovarian cancer in 1971. From what everyone can remember, she was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 1970. She went in for surgery where it was discovered that she had extensive disease. It has been told that she was given…
I am 69 years old and married with two daughters (one who is 45 and one 26) and four grandchildren. Because of my family history I have always been very “body conscious” and kept up with my Pap smears and mammograms every year, without fail. Funny I chose October for my yearly mammograms before October became known as “the…
By: Serita Robinson January 16, 2019 I had a prophylactic double mastectomy. After finding out I inherited BRCA1 I decided to have both my breast removed and plan to get a hysterectomy soon to reduce my risk of cancer. My mother developed both breast and ovarian cancer before age 55. She is also BRCA1 positive along with her brother (my…
