‘If Angelina Jolie Can Do It, So Can I'

TRISHAL LAZARUS walks us through her incredible journey as she embarked on a cancer-free life.

- Robert Clunie

“THIS journey started when I was seven years old, when my role model, my mom, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 31. At the same time my maternal grandmother was undergoing her treatment in her mid-50s. At a young, tender age I have been exposed to the reality of cancer. In a nutshell, my maternal family has generational (four) history — a genetic predisposition for breast and ovarian cancer. My mom and grandmother both tested positive for the BRCA 1 gene in 2003. It was inevitable that I would have to undergo genetic testing as well.

July 2016 was the month that altered my life in a way that is unimaginable to any 24-year-old. During that year there were many family members who were diagnosed with either breast or ovarian cancer, including a second cousin who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer at the age of 27. This triggered the urgency to undergo the genetic testing. After receiving genetic counseling and providing a blood sample, I would find out the results after three weeks.

Who would have thought that a simple blood test will determine the fate of my life in only a few days? I knew deep down what the result was going to be. How I would react and accept it was a different battle all together. BRCA is an abbreviation for ‘BReast CAncer gene’. Everyone has BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes, but some people’s genes do mutate. These mutations can be passed from one generation to the next.

The genetic counsellor sat in front of my dad and myself and told me that I was positive with an 87 percent risk of cancer — testing positive for the BRCA 1 gene has definitely changed my life, however I’ve been determined not to let this overwhelm me.