The BRCA genes were discovered in 1994 and 1995, but when you visited your doctor anytime from 1995 through the early 2000s, chances are that she or he did not recommend that you test for a mutation on the genes that would indicate an increased chance of developing ovarian or breast cancers. Why not? Because the paternalistic […]
Author: Joi Morris
Joi went to law school in Nashville at Vanderbilt University then moved to Los Angeles in 1989 to launch her legal career. After practicing law in Los Angeles for 13 years, Joi took the leap to become a stay-at-home mom. Never one to be idle, she immediately replaced paying work with volunteer work. Joi now devotes her time to raising her children and to breast cancer advocacy, including providing peer support for women who are struggling to decide what to do about their genetically inherited breast and ovarian cancer risk. She is co-author of Positive Results: Making the Best Decisions When You're at High Risk for Breast or Ovarian Cancer; is an Outreach Coordinator for Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE) -- the national organization for women at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer -- in Los Angeles, California; and is an Advocate in Science for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Did You Know It’s Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week?
Today, September 30, is the last day of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month; tomorrow, October 1, is the first day of Breast Cancer Month. Are they connected in any way other than the fact that they are both (mostly) women’s cancers? Absolutely. Those of us who carry mutations on the genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2 […]