This past year has been a journey for me. After losing my Mother to breast cancer back in 2012, I had always known that I had a 50/50 chance of inheriting the BRCA2 gene mutation that she had. Thereby, increasing my chance of getting breast cancer to between 50% and 80%, over my life time. So, this past winter I went for a genetic test that would tell me if I too had this gene mutation. Almost 4 years to the day of losing my mother, I found out that, I too, had the BRCA2 gene mutation.

This summer has been filled with appointments with Oncologists and surgeons, as well as multiple mammograms, and an MRI to see if I currently had breast cancer. Then followed an ultra sound and more mammograms when they thought they found something. But, thankfully, I am in the clear for now. I was given two options, since I was in such a high risk group for breast cancer I could get screening like I did this summer, every six months, so that they could catch the cancer super early if I did get it. Or I could choose to have a double mastectomy and lower my risk of getting breast cancer to almost nothing. There was no real choice for me here, after seeing breast cancer destroy my Mother and my Aunt Carol and losing them both in their early 50's, I did not want to take any chances. Surgery was my only choice. 

So at only 34 years of age, I am going to undergo a double mastectomy. But this surgery is going to take its toll, I'll be off work for almost two months. The surgery is scheduled for the 16th of November.  

The hardest part of all of this is realising I need to ask for help. My loving partner Helen and I have been doing our best financially  but with both of us working full time we have been just getting by with rent, bills and groceries. But now with the added expenses of things I will be needing for recovery, and the loss of my income for almost two months the stress of future bills is becoming overwhelming. 

Asking for help is beyond hard for me, it makes me feel so vulnerable, but sometimes you just have to admit that you need a little help. So if you could spare a couple dollars it would go a long way to making this whole ordeal a little bit easier. Myself and Helen would be beyond grateful for any help you can offer.

Thank you so much for taking time to read my story. 

Crissy.