Ming Ming's Story

Ming Ming (not her real name), aged 38, is a full-time working mother of two children. She has a BRCA2 genetic change. When she was offered the preventive options to reduce her risk of a second breast cancer, she chose screening, rather than removal of her healthy breast.

"My breast cancer risk? I think my risk of breast cancer is higher because of the BRCA gene. I have a higher possibility of getting breast cancer compared to other women.

I wouldn’t surgically remove my healthy breast.... I would have taken the wait and see approach, rather than take a measure like that.

My values and beliefs? I believe that God gave us every part, every organ in our body for a certain specific function. If we are sick, our body will show signs. So, we must pay very close attention to our body and to monitor it closely. I would like to catch the breast cancer before it turns aggressive, before it turns advanced. So, I can get treatment earlier, rather than to remove the healthy part of my body as a prevention.

What makes me say that? Because personally, I believe that we have no control over how our body will react in the future...or how it would be in the future. To prevent breast cancer from happening, I cannot take precaution by removing my healthy breast...just for the sake of preventing breast cancer from happening. That’s not very logical. (Soft chuckle)...I don’t think it is a very logical thing to do. It’s very drastic. It has a very big impact on a woman, psychologically and mentally. It’s not just the removing of a body part. It’s also how it affects the woman, physically and mentally.

Actually, frankly speaking, to me personally, I felt that even after I’d removed my entire breasts, lump can still form. If cancer wants to come back, it can still form. So, there is no guarantee I can be free from breast cancer if I remove both of my breasts."

Devi's Story

Devi (not her real name), aged 47, is a stay-at-home mother of two children. Within a few months of knowing that she is a BRCA1 carrier, Devi made the decision to have her healthy breast removed. Decision-making was very fast as she has the support of her husband.

"My healthy breast? Well, chances of developing breast cancer is pretty high, because I am BRCA positive, BRCA1. So, yea, chances of developing breast cancer is very much higher, probably about 80 percent.

The minute I knew I am a BRCA1 carrier, I more or less already decided that I am going to have my healthy breast removed. I don’t want to wait.

My beliefs, values? For me, the thing, which fuels the risk-reducing surgery was that I do not trust screening. That is the big thing here. When the risk-reducing surgery option was there, I took it because I have nil, nil trust for screening. I don’t trust screening. Imagine because I don’t trust screening, forever, in the back of my mind, I will not have peace.

Why? I don’t want to go through that cancer thingy, going through the chemo, going through the radiotherapy. I know how it was for me in 2012 and 2013. So, I am not prepared to go through that again. I guess that was the main reason. That experience fuelled our decision to have the risk-reducing surgery. I think this is the best option.

I just want to get it over and done with. Just get the breast removed. Have the reconstruction done because I cannot imagine myself without a breast. So hence, the reconstruction...

Why reconstruction? Oh my god, my breast is so important to me. I am married. I have a husband. So, for me, body image is very important. I would like to look good when I dress up. I have to carry myself with some confidence. I think breast is so important, for me. Well, I have been given a choice of reconstruction. So, I feel all these helped me to decide on the risk-reducing surgery because I have options."