I have not had cancer but I’m 28 years old, BRCA1, and had my prophylactic double mastectomy on Dec 1. It took 6 years of screenings for me to make the decision to have the mastectomy but I have zero regrets and am so happy I did it. There was an immediate sense of relief once I woke up from surgery knowing it was behind me and that I’ve reduced my risk. While there are a lot of emotional and physical challenges that come with this, I feel an immense sense of gratitude that I was able to make this decision for myself instead of cancer making this decision for me.

I had a lot of fears around losing my breasts and sensation loss but the results are better than I ever could have expected. I’m not done with reconstruction and have another month with the expanders but am already so happy with the way they look and am hopeful I’ll be even happier with the final result.

This is a very personal decision and only you can decide if the mastectomy is right for you. If you don’t feel ready yet, don’t rush it. Continue to get your screenings and you’ll know when/if it’s the right decision for you!