What happened, in summary

Sue Friedman was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33 despite being proactive about her health and having no known family history of breast cancer. After initial treatment, she read about hereditary cancer and BRCA1/2 testing. The warning signs fit her: young-onset breast cancer, Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, and a possible abdominal cancer on her father’s side. She asked her medical team for BRCA testing, but the blood sample was never actually sent. Soon after, Sue had a recurrence and went to a cancer center for a second opinion. There, she received genetic counseling and learned halfway through chemotherapy that she carried a BRCA2 mutation. That result changed the decisions in front of her. She had already had a unilateral mastectomy for treatment, but now understood that her other breast was at high risk. She also had to think about ovarian cancer risk and whether to end fertility by removing her ovaries. Soon after treatment, she did have her ovaries removed and entered menopause at 35. The lack of patient resources for people making hereditary-cancer decisions led her to start FORCE, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered. As of February 2023, Sue was a long-term breast cancer survivor, and this educational Patient Story video used her experience to explain why genetic testing can affect treatment, prevention, and family planning.