I applaude her for coming forward and hope she continues and fights to get gentic testing covered under insurance because the sad fact is that if you don't have the testing you dont know you have the BRACA gene so you won't have this lifesaving mastectomy, the testing is beyond afforable for even the middle class.
Don't even get me started on the need for national health care in the united states.

It was on the news yesterday. The only thing I question is some of the timelines. I had a lumpectomy and a friend of mine had a double mastectomy (of course we had to go through treatments) but still having a double mastectomy is no piece of cake and reconstruction on top. You need more recovery time. According to the news she was seen out and about within a couple weeks. The risk being reduced to 5% meaning they didn't remove lymph nodes, maybe? I applaud anyone who is being proactive concerning their health.

it was said the gene she has makes it possible to get cancer in her "chest" and ovaries. I wonder now what she will do about her ovaries? that is very difficult to catch problems there. I wish her luck.

My sister-in-law had this cancer, luckily she caught it early. However, both of her daughters have this gene. The youngest, had two children the last three years and then had both of her breasts removed so she would not get the cancer. The other niece has not decided yet. My sister-in-law discovered her cancer at age 30. It is a very aggressive, deadly cancer that spreads to other areas of the body. The niece who had the surgery did very well with the process. she had her implants and then went back for her tattoos......yes, they tattoo the nipple area on the skin where they would be naturally. She is very satisfied and now does not worry.

This preventative surgery is becoming more common everyday. My friend did the same thing and when you have a family history of breast cancer the insurance company will pay for the tests and the surgery and reconstructive surgery. That's a lot cheaper for them than cancer treatments and the two surgerys. My friend was out and about pretty soon. I had breast cancer, double mastectomy, radiation, and reconstruction and it took me a year to get back on track.

I just read about it in the paper and the statistics were really awful for her to get ovarian or breast cancer. I think it takes a lot of courage to do something like that, especially in the business she is in.

It's all good, but only the good Lord above knows when your number is gonna come up! So, what you gonna remove then?!

Latrinka, I understand where you're coming from. Based on personal experience I believe when it's our time to go, it's our time to go! I was in a very serious car accident in 1987. If it weren't for God and seatbelts I would not be here. I look at this BRCA preventative surgery like wearing seatbelts.

Between 54% and 80% of women with the BRCA gene develop breast cancer. Seatbelts reduce traffic fatalities by 50%.

A seatbelt saved my life just like preventative mastectomies save many women's lives!

In 2003, I had the same test since I lost my mother to breast and ovarian cancer and my family history reads like a horror book. I did not have the broken gene, but we don't know if my mom did or not. I went ahead and had a complete hysterectomy because I was having some warning signs and just couldn't take the chance. Had I had the broken gene, I would have had a complete breast removal and replacement. I would still have had the chance of getting breast cancer or, even now, cancer in my lower abdomen but my chances decreased immensely.

I'm tired of hearing about Jolie, but if it brings this to people's attention, it is a good thing.

I'm so happy for her that she was able to keep it quiet until she was ready to tell the world.

I had a scare a number of years back and I told my daughters if it is cancer I'm having both of my breast removed. They could not understand why, they were in their early 20s and I explained to them that my health was more important then my looks. It was not cancer so I didn't have to worry about it at this time.