My mom is the strongest person I will ever know. She has fought and beaten cancer not once, but twice — while carrying the BRCA gene mutation. That mutation meant the odds were against her from the start. Having the BRCA gene meant that her risk for breast and ovarian cancer was sky-high, that this fight was inevitable — and it tried to take her. Twice.
Had my mom known she had the BRCA gene before being diagnosed, I know she would have done every preventative action under the sun, and more, to avoid getting sick. Not having that knowledge of her genetic history caused her, and my family, enormous amounts of pain, suffering, and most importantly, time. Despite it all, she faced the diagnosis head-on, even when fear and anger could have taken over. She went through surgery after surgery, round after round of treatment, and all the emotional weight that comes with wondering what’s next — and she kept fighting.
Carrying BRCA isn’t just about surviving cancer. It’s about the constant pressure of knowing there’s a genetic clock ticking inside you. It’s about making impossible choices for your future, for your health, for your family. When she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, was when she found out she was BRCA positive. With that knowledge, she immediately did all of the preventative care she could and got a full hysterectomy. My mom faced those decisions with courage and with grace. She taught me that bravery isn’t the absence of fear — it’s looking fear in the face and choosing to act anyway. And despite doing that, she was diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer three years later.
With tumors the size of dinner plates, she was given a prognosis of 8 years after her ovarian cancer diagnosis. She didn’t just beat cancer — she shattered the statistics. She turned what could have been the end of her story into a testimony of survival, of strength, of hope. She showed our family, and everyone who knows her, that you can live with BRCA, that you can fight through the hardest days, and that you can come out on the other side even stronger.
My mom is more than a survivor — she is a warrior, an inspiration, and an example of what it means to keep going no matter how hard life tries to stop you. Because of her, I know that no battle is too big to face. Because of her, I know that the BRCA gene does not define us — it refines us and has made us even stronger.
This year marks 15 years since my mom was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer, and I am incredibly thankful she is with us everyday. I am endlessly proud to be her child, and I will spend my life trying to live with the strength and determination she shows every single day.
