KnowYourTree.org

My family tree is a disaster. Cancer has blown through generations of the people I love and when my first cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer and tested positive for the BRCA-2 gene mutation in 2012 the usual suspect was revealed. The real identity wreaking havoc is known as familial mutation (Q1987X) in the BRCA2 gene.

My father is a prostate cancer survivor. On his insistence, and with my two sisters in tow, I proceeded with genetic counseling and testing through  UF Health Cancer Center Genetics at Orlando Health in the summer of 2014.

Then came a little game of  ‘eeny, meeny, miny, moe’. On August 4th I learned I was ‘it’. The test results revealed that I carry the familial mutation  (Q1987X) in the BRCA2 gene.  Additionally,  my sister Nicole is a carrier however middle sister, Krista, skirted out of there negative for the mutation.

That day I learned that woman who are found to have a BRCA2 mutation have up to an 84% lifetime risk for breast cancer and up to a 27% lifetime risk for ovarian cancer.

How about that?

It followed with a bank of words like these: chemo-prevention, surveillance, semi-annual mammograms, MRI’s, diet, lifestyle, exercise, oopherectomy, prophylactic mastectomy, reconstruction, oncologist.

Additionally, and most important to me is my four children (ages 12-21)- that day I learned that they each have a 50% chance of carrying the familial BRCA2 gene mutation. And if they are carriers they can pass it on to their children. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves too much.

KnowYourTree.org is up and rolling. Let’s keep the conversation going and save lives together!