Stories of Genetic Testing, Prophylactic Surgery, and Reconstruction: Kerry

Kerry Osmond was 10 when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990. When it became available, genetic testing for a mutation that raises the risk of breast cancer was strongly recommended for Kerry’s mom — in 2010 her mother tested positive for a BRCA2 mutation. Kerry knew that meant she had a 50-50 chance of having the same mutation. In 2012, she decided to have genetic testing and learned that she, too, had a BRCA2 mutation. She decided to have a double prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction using tissue from her hip area. Kerry is one of three women whose stories are featured in the Breastcancer.org video series on genetic testing, prophylactic surgery, and reconstruction. Kerry’s younger sister, Mandi, also tested positive for a BRCA2 mutation and is also in the video series. Listen to the podcast to hear Kerry talk about: how her family uses their experience to help others how she connected with women who had similar surgeries on the Breastcancer.org discussion boards how sharing her story in the video was healing in a way why talking to other women who had already had prophylactic surgery was encouraging

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