Help Reduce Cancer Risk with Surgery

As many of you know, I sadly lost my mom to breast cancer two years ago. Two years later, I had some blood work done and unfortunately tested positive for the BRCA gene. For those of you that are unfamiliar, having the BRCA gene means that I have up to an 85% chance of developing breast cancer. The general population has a 12% chance. With the BRCA gene, I have up to a 46% chance of developing ovarian cancer. The general population has a whopping 1.1 - 1.6% chance.

When I spoke to my doctor and NP about options and was told that it’s not a question of whether or not but a question of when I will be diagnosed with breast cancer, my decision came easy with no hesitation. I did come to the conclusion that I will be undergoing surgery for a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction to reduce my chances of breast cancer by 95%. I was also told that the sooner, the better, seeing that my mom was only 46 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am planning to undergo surgery within the next year.

I have been going back and forth about posting this in fear of what negative things may be said, but I realized that what people might say truly does not concern me, especially when it comes to my health. With that being said, although I do have insurance, I am trying to factor in out-of-pocket expenses. This may be a steep ask, but I am not sure what out-of-pocket expenses look like. A recovery room, time spent off work, travel expenses, anything that may not be fully covered. Anything will truly be appreciated.