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My Name is Debbie Grant, and I would like to share a personal story of mine. I wanted to share as a part of Women's Health Week and the best way for me to show my support is to share my story and hopefully encourage women to prioritise their health. My family has a history of cancer. When several of my aunts and cousins (who were the same age as me) on my father’s side of the family were diagnosed with breast cancer, the family decided they would take part in genetic testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Both these mutations increase the risk of ovarian and pancreatic cancer. BRCA1 mutation can also increase the risk of cervical, uterine, and colon cancer. BRCA2 can increase the likelihood of stomach, gallbladder, and bile duct cancer and melanoma. My aunts test came back positive for the BRCA2 gene. My father was then tested, and he too returned a positive result. This meant that me and my siblings had a 50% chance of returning a positive result too. In 2009 my youngest sister and I returned a positive result for the BRCA2 gene. After extensive research, a care plan was devised for ongoing monitoring into the future. This included mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRI’s every 6-9 months. In 2011, I was completing a routine check-up when we discovered a growth in one of my breasts, which appeared to be a cyst but was behaving unusually. After long consults and conversations with health professionals and discussions with friends and family, I decided to have a double mastectomy with reconstruction. This was a huge decision and was quite emotionally distressing but one that I knew I needed to make. In October 2012, I underwent a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. It was a 9-hour operation, but after just one week recovering in hospital I was keen to get out and get on with my life. As my body healed and adjusted to the trauma it had just been through, I walked hunched like an older woman but slowly I did recover and I began to walk properly again. I did encounter a setback after developing an infection that took nearly six months to recover from, my body scarred in the process but 12 months later I went back in to surgery to repair and reconstruct my breast back into shape. I remember at the time comparing myself to Frankenstein’s Bride. I used humor to overcome what I was facing. The 100 or more stitches and staples that held me together. But in my more private moments I was experiencing grief and loss. I was mourning myself. Am I still a woman without my breasts? I remember thinking, these have feed and nurtured my children and now they are gone. I had to learn to adjust and remember that what lead me to this decision originally was my children. To be here for my children. I needed to be here to see my grandchildren, to see my family grow. I did not want to go to an early grave and I did not want to live in constant fear that breast or ovarian cancer was following me and it was only a matter of time. I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I knew I carried this gene and it gave me the chance to be proactive and do something about it. I am grateful to be able to share my story and possibly help someone else who is facing these difficult decisions. In 2014, I traveled to Sydney for another operation. To remove my ovaries. I now manage with hormone replacement therapy and all in all I'm a healthy, strong woman. I have learnt we are not defined by what we think our body should look like, I may be different but I am still me. Others have not been so fortunate and I have lost many family members and friends to breast and ovarian cancer. So I am asking you to hear my story and take control of yours. Be vigilant about your own health, be proactive and prioritise it. Get checked up regularly, have your mammogram checks and talk to all the sisters out there about this. There is no shame in looking after ourselves. We are all too busy looking after everyone else but ourselves. STOP! Take time for you. In honor of Women's Health week, I honor all of you. If Debbie's story has brought anything up for you, please reach out to Katungul and make an appointment to have a yarn with a doctor. Call our cost free number 1800 804 201. We thank Debbie for sharing her story. Women's Health Week is from 6-10 September. You can find more information here - https://www.womenshealthweek.com.au/ National Breast Cancer Foundation - https://nbcf.org.au/ Ovarian Cancer Australia - https://www.ovariancancer.net.au/

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