Today’s entry is all about power and bravery.
I remember when Angelina Jolie shared her story of her double mastectomy a few years ago. I remember there being a bit of an uproar in the natural health and wellness field that she was plain and simply acting out of fear.
In fact, I remember hearing that a prominent teacher in the NYC community stood her ground and told her followers she thought it was a terrible, awful decision.
While of course, all of these people are entitled to their respectable opinions, I couldn’t help but wonder if they ever experienced or walked in Angelina’s shoes, watching her own mother suffer and die from ovarian cancer.
One’s reaction and experience of watching a parent suffer through something like this is just as individual as the your finger print. It has lasting and different effects on everyone.
From my own personal experience with my mom’s ovarian cancer, breast cancer and my personal BRACA testing, it is clear to me that this is not a one size fits all decision. (To have a mastectomy or to remove ovaries).
It is also clear to me that people who make this kind of decision are not simply ‘acting out of fear.’ This, in my opinion, is a blanket statement that is put out there when one doesn’t really understand the complexities of someone’s choices.
The choice is deeply multi-layered from a medical, psychological and intimately personal perspective. There is so much power and bravery in this type of personal choice!
I believe Angelina has written about this aspect of it beautifully in the NY Times piece recently released.
She has rounded out her process of coming to this conclusion quite thoroughly and thoughtfully and my hope is that any naysayers or people who believe she is still simply ‘acting out of fear’ will take the time to read the piece.
From someone who has talked to multiple doctors eastern and western, done and still does multiple tests, I assure you it is not an easy road. However, there is a great deal of support and information to be gained while traveling down it.
My hope is that this will also give people some knowledge and confidence that there are options for you. And if a decision needs to be made around your health in this regard, it will surely be a process that will be as specific to you and your families needs as it is to hers. There is such power and bravery in personal choice!
You can read the full piece here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/24/opinion/angelina-jolie-pitt-diary-of-a-surgery.html?_r=1
