New Year’s Eve Nightmare: Carly’s Cancer Gene Shocker
While most were prepping for 2015 celebrations, Carly Mackie from Lee-on-Solent faced grim news. On December 31, 2014, she was told she carries the BRCA2 gene – giving her a whopping 90% chance of breast cancer and 40% risk of ovarian cancer.
Family History Fuels Fear
Carly’s mother was already battling ovarian cancer, diagnosed in October 2013. With a strong family history – her grandmother died of breast cancer and two cousins had it too – doctors advised Carly and her sister to get tested for the deadly gene.
“My sister was clear, but when I told Mum I had the gene, she blamed herself. I told her it wasn’t necessary, but as a mother, I understand,” Carly said over coffee at QA Hospital.
Bold Decisions: Surgery Over Scare
Determined to dodge fate, Carly wasted no time. Just five months after the diagnosis, she’d undergone a double mastectomy and hysterectomy. “It was a no-brainer. Watching Mum fight cancer made me want to beat those odds before it started,” she explained.
Hope for the Next Generation
Carly’s biggest worry? Her two young daughters, aged six and two. “I’m terrified they’ll inherit the gene. But I keep telling myself that by the time they’re adults, there’ll be a futuristic pill to stop cancer in its tracks.”
Sadly, Carly says her mother is still losing the fight. But her own swift actions show that sometimes, tough choices can save lives.
