When I was one, my maternal grandmother died of breast cancer at age 49, before I ever had a chance to know her. When I was 16, my mother was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer and underwent a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy. When I was 19, my 38 year old maternal aunt was diagosed with breast cancer, underwent surgery, chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, but in the end the end, lost her life. When I was 21 my mother was diagonosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer and had a volleyball size tumor removed and then had several treatments of chemotherapy. She is alive and well today! When I was 23 I was tested and learned that I carry the mutation for the BRCA-1 breast cancer gene. I began having regular cancer screenings twice a year that included CA-125 blood tests and transvaginal ultrasounds for ovarian cancer, as well as mammongrams for breast cancer. As I got older, breast MRI's were added yearly as well. In July of 2008, I had a propholactic oophorectomy (removal of my fallopian tubes and ovaries) to help decrease my chances of developing ovarian cancer. It took six days for my body to go into menopause, but my chances of developing ovarian cancer had all but been eliminated, and my breast cancer risk had dropped approx. 60%. On New's Eve 2009, at age 37, I was told that I had Stage 1-2 breast cancer. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy on January 13th and started eight rounds of chemotherapy on February 2nd. I have two rounds to go! My cancer was found on an MRI that had originally not been scheduled and was added when I questioned its abscence. Be your own advocate! Get educated! No one cares more about your health than you do!

Dana Conrad
Iowa City, IA