When Angelina Jolie announced her decision a couple of weeks ago to have a double mastectomy , there was an out roar of various opinions - from her decision was wise and brave to it was a radical and hasty decision. Discussions of privilege vs "have-nots" came up as she encouraged other women to get a test (that is pricey and not likely covered by insurance) to determine an individual's genetic makeup linking to as in her case a higher risk of getting cancer. I thought that her decision was wise because she did what she felt was best for her and her family. Also, her announcement introduced an important conversation about a new level of proactiveness when it comes to health and consistent checks for any abnormalities. It also, reintroduced a scary stat that has been a part of the health conversation for black womyn, which is that womyn of colour are at a higher risk for gene driven breast cancer than any other group.
I was recently reading a great article over at For Harriet that brought up a lot of great information concerning this. I recommend you all check it out here. As the article states, Triple Negative Breast Cancer is more aggressive and has a greater chance of reoccurence with black womyn.
I know so many womyn, my friends and family, who do not check up on their health enough. It's great to do the self-exams while you are in the shower but make sure to schedule appointments regularly to get yourself checked. We are all busy but don't be too busy to be proactive about making sure that you are healthy and doing everything you can to lessen your chances of getting breast cancer.
Book your appointment today ladies, if you do not already have it on your calendar. I sure am!
Happy Monday!
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