Angelina Jolie to Also Remove Ovaries?
Angelina Jolie recently went public with her preventive double mastectomy, but the actress still faces another procedure to remove her ovaries.
Earlier this week, Jolie revealed that she had had a double mastectomy in an op-ed piece with The New York Times. The procedure, which occurred in February, was an effort to reduce her chances of developing ovarian cancer- the disease that killed her mother.
However, Jolie is not finished taking cautionary measures against ovarian cancer. The 37-year-old actress is planning to undergo surgery to remove her ovaries, according to People.
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When explaining why she chose to undergo a double mastectomy, Jolie cited her "faulty" BRCA1 gene and the 87 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer. By removing her breasts, the Oscar Award-winner was able to greatly diminish her chances of developing the disease.
Nevertheless, because of the BRCA1 gene, Jolie still faces a high risk of ovarian cancer. Undergoing an oophorectomy by the age of 40 goes highly recommended by some doctors as a means to prevent it, and the actress has stated she will stop at nothing to remain with her family as long as she can.
Entitled "My Medical Choice," Jolie's op-ed piece also revealed intimate details as well as reasons behind her decision to remove both breasts.
"I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience," penned the actress.
Jolie later added that the decision was not easy and sometimes felt like "a scene out of a science-fiction film," but that she is very happy, as it was something she did for her family. The "Tomb Raider" star shares six children with fiancé Brad Pitt.
"They know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can," the actress said of her family.
Meanwhile, Jolie is receiving widespread applause for sharing her experience, and among those singing praises is her partner Pitt, who called her "heroic" for sharing the story.
"All I want is for her to have a long and healthy life, with myself and our children," the actor told The Evening Standard after Jolie's op-ed piece made waves. "This is a happy day for our family."
Filmmaker and humanitarian Nicholas Kristof was also among the thousands praising Jolie.
"Angelina Jolie showed again that she is the gold standard for celebrity activism: She started a conversation that'll save lives," the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner posted to Twitter.
