Angelina Jolie Urges Women With Family Cancer History To Get Checked

Hollywood star; Angelina Jolie pays tribute to her late mother and advises women with a family history of cancer to be screened.

Angelina Jolie urged women to “look after” themselves and “take mammograms, blood tests, and ultrasounds” if there has been a history of cancer in the family.

For her late mother’s 73rd birthday, the actor sent a heartfelt ode to her on Instagram.

Actress Marcia Lynne ‘Marcheline’ Bertrand passed away in 2007 from ovarian cancer after also being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Because Jolie inherits the BRCA1 gene, which dramatically raises the risk of getting breast or ovarian cancer, she underwent a preventative double mastectomy in 2013.

The 47-year-old posted: “My mother] passed away 15 years ago after a long struggle with breast and ovarian cancer”.

“In June, I will be a month away from the age when she was diagnosed. I have had preventive surgeries to try to lessen the chances but I continue to have checkups.

“My mom loved Hendrix. And would always sign her letters Kiss the Sky. It took on new meaning after she passed.

“Sending my love to those who have also lost loved ones and strength to those who are fighting at this very moment for their lives and the lives of those they love.

“And to other women, please take the time to look after yourself and go for your mammograms and blood tests or ultrasounds, particularly if you have a family history of cancer.”

What the Medical experts say:

The two ovaries that hold the eggs are affected by ovarian cancer. Its signs are frequently disregarded.

The four main signs of ovarian cancer, according to Target Ovarian Cancer, are persistent bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, a sense of fullness or loss of appetite, and a greater urge to urinate.

“The term bloating is often used to describe a feeling of fullness in the tummy, which can often be associated with the lower abdomen looking swollen,” said Dr. Susanna Unsworth, women’s health expert and in-house gynaecology expert for Intimina.

“Bloating is often a consequence of bowel issues, but it is also recognized as one of the potential symptoms of ovarian cancer.

“Ovarian cancer has been described as a ‘silent killer’ as the symptoms can often be mild and may go unnoticed in the early stages of the disease,” she added. “By the time someone consults with a doctor, the cancer may have already become quite widespread.

According to research conducted in 2021 by CoppaFeel!, one in seven women in the UK and one in nine in Ireland will have breast cancer over their lifetimes.

The NHS website states that you should visit your doctor if you discover a new lump, thickened skin, changes in the size or form of your breasts, fluid or discharge coming from your nipples, lumps or swelling in your armpits, a change in the texture of your skin or the appearance of your nipples, or a rash similar to eczema.