Knowledge Is Power

My name is Maureen Finn and I am BRCA1 positive.  Here is my previvor journey.

My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2005. For 11 years, she endured ups and downs of cancer when they were starting to do bloodwork to learn more about hereditary cancers she volunteered, and that is when she found out she was positive for brca1 gene mutation.  She had encouraged us to get tested and I put it off For a very long time.  My mom passed away in 2017.   In 2021 I started putting my health first so I started eating healthier and working out.  During one of my workouts, the trainer suggested that we take care of things, other than working out. If there’s been things you’ve been putting off you should move forward and stop putting it off. That’s when I had my aha moment and decided to get my blood work done.

I met with the genetic counselor we discussed everything. It was a very simple and easy process. Then I went for the bloodwork, waited for the results, and then we met again and we went over everything. Being in healthcare as an MRI technologist, who sees lots of brca1 positive patients. I see their anxiety every time they come in for their annual or six-month MRI.  ( breast screening) I had already made my decision about what I was going to do once I learned that I was positive. I was going to do preventative surgeries. On March 29, 2022, I had my preventative surgeries, a hysterectomy, and a mastectomy.

I became a previvor. I chose to have afc closure, which have not regretted.  I am trying to live the healthiest life with this power like an upper head on a disease that has taking so many before us. I wish I would have listened to my mom and got tested when she was tested- not for herself but so we would have the knowledge.  She always said “knowledge is power”.