Angelina Jolie has shown her mastectomy scars for the first time after having the preventive procedure in 2013.
The 50-year-old actress had a double mastectomy in 2013 after learning that she had an 87% risk of developing breast cancer due to a defective BRCA1 gene.
The Unbroken director revealed her preventative surgery to the world in 2013, raising awareness and causing an impact known as the ‘Angelina Effect’, which led to a 20% increase in screenings in France.
Over a decade on from this surgery, the actress is set to star in Alice Winocour’s film Coutures, a film that explores breast cancer.
Opening up about this project, she revealed to Time France why she decided to show her scars for the first time.
‘I share these scars with many women I love. And I’m always moved when I see other women share theirs. I wanted to join them, knowing that TIME France would be sharing information about breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer.’
What is a mastectomy?
The NHS website explains that a mastectomy is surgery to remove one of your breasts. A double mastectomy is where both breasts are removed.
A mastectomy is usually done to treat breast cancer in women or breast cancer in men. Sometimes you may choose to have a mastectomy to prevent breast cancer if you’re at high risk of getting it.
A mastectomy is performed using a general anaesthetic, so patients are asleep during the surgery and will not feel any pain. The time frame for a mastectomy is usually about an hour and a half, with a double mastectomy can take around 3 hours. It can take longer if you’re having breast reconstruction surgery at the same time.
In 2007, Angelina’s mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died of cancer at the age of 56. Her grandmother and aunt also passed away from cancer.
In March 2015, the Maleficent actress also revealed that she had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as a preventive measure against developing ovarian cancer.
The star spoke about her decision in a piece called Angelina Jolie Pitt: Diary Of A Surgery in the New York Times.
She revealed at the time: ‘I feel deeply for women for whom this moment comes very early in life, before they have had their children. Their situation is far harder than mine. I inquired and found out that there are options for women to remove their fallopian tubes but keep their ovaries, and so retain the ability to bear children and not go into menopause. I hope they can be aware of that.
‘It is not easy to make these decisions. But it is possible to take control and tackle head-on any health issue. You can seek advice, learn about the options and make choices that are right for you. Knowledge is power.’
How to check for signs of breast cancer
CoppaFeel! offers these simple steps on how to check your own chest for signs of cancer.
Look
- Look at your boobs, pecs or chest.
- Look at the area from your armpit, across and beneath your boobs, pecs or chest, and up to your collarbone.
Be aware of any changes in size, outline or shape and changes in skin such as puckering or dimpling.
Feel
- Feel each of your boobs, pecs or chest.
- Feel the area from your armpit, across and beneath your boobs, pecs or chest, and up to your collarbone.
Be aware of any changes in skin such as puckering or dimpling, or any lumps, bumps or skin thickening which are different from the opposite side.
Notice your nipples
- Look at each of your nipples.
Be aware of any nipple discharge that’s not milky, any bleeding from the nipple, any rash or crusting on or around your nipple area that doesn’t heal easily and any change in the position of your nipple
In the interview,which will feature in the magazine released on December 18, the star emphasised that BRCA screening – to test for the gene that is linked to ovarian and breast cancers – should be offered routinely.
‘Every woman should always be able to determine her own healthcare journey and have the information she needs to make informed choices: genetic testing and screening should be accessible and affordable for women with clear risk factors or a significant family history.
‘When I shared my experience in 2013, it was to encourage informed choices. Healthcare decisions must be personal, and women must have the information and support they need to make those choices.
‘Access to screening and care should not depend on financial resources or where someone lives.’
In her upcoming film, set to be released in February 2024, the star will play Maxine Walker, an American filmmaker diagnosed with breast cancer. She called the a ‘very personal story’.
‘It’s a very personal story for me; I immediately felt a deep connection with Maxine Walker, my character,’ she began.
‘Too often, films about women’s struggles—especially cancer—talk about endings and sadness, rarely about life. Alice has made a film about life, and that’s precisely why the sensitive subjects it addresses are handled with such delicacy. Hardships, illnesses, and pain are part of our existence, but what matters is how we face them.
‘For me, and for so many women who have experienced this, it was essential to remember that what allows us to get through these times is precisely life itself.’
She then reflected on her own mother’s illness as she revealed:’My mother was ill for years. One evening, when she was being asked about her chemotherapy, she became very emotional and told me she would have preferred to talk about something else; she felt as though the illness was becoming her entire identity.
‘I love this film because it tells a story that goes far beyond the journey of a sick person: it shows life. It was this luminous perspective that touched me and made me want to play this role.’
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