The Generational Impact of Cancer: BRCA2 Positive
Ashley Dedmon |
TEDxLSCTomball
• October 2019
As a young woman, I lost my mother to breast cancer and watched my father battle prostate
cancer. With a family history that includes three generations of women affected by breast
cancer, I decided to undergo genetic testing and discovered I was BRCA 2 positive, a leading
marker for the disease. I believed I was next. I was scared. I had questions, and I needed
answers.
After undergoing extensive cancer monitoring for a decade with my high-risk oncologist, I
sought out a team of doctors to discuss other options. Together, we developed a plan to
prevent a possible occurrence of cancer – a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy, which was
successfully performed in December 2016.
Life after surgery has had its challenges and has been a humbling experience. The physical
journey for me was not bad, but the recovery took time. I had to be patient and trust the
healing process.
I had to be patient with myself and build my stamina and strength. My mind would tell me I
could GO, GO, GO, but my body said NO, NO, NO! I had to learn to listen to my body and
my doctors, so I could recover safely and properly. There were times I felt so helpless, trying
to help my two-year-old understand why I couldn’t hold her, pick her up or take her to school
and ballet class. Each day it gets better, and eventually, you discover your new normal. I
attribute my quick recovery to living an active and healthy lifestyle.
I was not ready for the emotional journey. There were moments I felt less than a woman
because I felt my breasts defined me. I learned to remind myself that my mind, character, and
strength, define my womanhood. I have learned to embrace my scars because they tell my
story...and that is, I have been “gracefully broken” and rebuilt with strength. On this journey,
I have encountered many physical, mental, and emotional obstacles and challenges, but along
the way, I have discovered my strength and purpose, and all glory goes to my Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. Three years later, I feel empowered, more confident, and I know that this
decision didn’t define me, it refined me.
TALK
In my talk, I will discuss my family history of cancer, my experience as a young caregiver,
which led me to genetic testing and the impact it had (has) in my life. I will share my most
vulnerable thoughts after losing my mother, hearing of my father’s diagnosis, and finding out I
was BRCA2 +.
I will share my 10 years of aggressive monitoring and what led me to have a Preventive
Double Mastectomy, and the emotional and mental impact it had on me (my womanhood,
motherhood, my self-confidence, inability to breastfeed, intimacy, etc.)
Finally, I will discuss how I overcame my parent's diagnosis, navigating through my own
journey, and how I have been positioned to Educate, Equip, and Empower others who have
been impacted by cancer (fighters, survivors, previvors, caregivers, and supporters).
With my long family history of breast cancer, I wanted to use my experience to write a
children’s book, with the goal of helping youth understand the disease and its impact on the
women in their lives.
My book titled “The Big Discovery” is an educational tool that helps families, especially
children, navigate the difficult journey that breast cancer presents. I was inspired to write this
after my journey as a young child with two parents with cancer and my own journey as a
BRCA2 previvor, and mom. The book’s foreword was written by board-certified breast
surgeon, Sandra Templeton, M.D., of Houston Methodist Breast Surgery Partners.