Bloody Hell - Angelina Jolie

[LtEveDallas]

Have just seen this on the news:

BBC News

Poor woman. Must be terrifying to be given 'odds' like those. What a terrible decision to have to make, but the right one I think.

[tiredteddy]

No better. Sorry. Typer!

[LittleMissSnowShine]

Totally agree that there are 'bigger things going on in the world' than one woman's decision to have elective surgery to reduce her risk of developing cancer.

However, it's more of a symptom of the world that we live in that anything to do with celebrity automatically makes it into the headlines - whether it's Charlie Sheen off on a bender or Lindsay Lohan failing to turn up to court. At least as a Goodwill Ambassador, Angelina Jolie uses her celebrity to draw attention to issues such as famine, a lack of education for women in the developing world, poverty etc.

I'm not saying that she doesn't kind of irritate me with her smugness and what appears to be a very self-satisfied take on life. But I do admire her decision to talk about something so personal and no doubt rather traumatising to draw attention to the kind of issues women face in regards to their health. So (just this once) she gets a round of applause from me.

[HesterShaw]

Yes. If the story had been leaked after her trying to keep it private, it would have made the headlines anyway. At least now she has retained control.

[Chubfuddler]

Michele Heaton also had a preventative mastectomy recently.

[PrincessWatermelon]

I am so pleased to read this. Call me shallow, but I had never considered a prophylactic double mastectomy despite my very high risk of breast cancer. And now, I am. It has normalised it and has removed the taboo in my mind. I do think that if she can do it, then so can I.

So thank you, Angelina Jolie.

[down2earthwithabump]

I think Angelina Jolie has done a very difficult thing and clearly made the right choice for her. I think it is admirable to speak up about it for empowering other women who have had masectomies and hysterectomies, regardless of her real reasons for speaking out. I may have those genes as my mother has them (both for ovarian and breast cancer, both of which she is surviving), and have been offered the genetics program, but I have opted not to have the test as I don't want the percentage over my head, instead I can access regular checks and MRI scans to keep an eye on me and make sure all is OK.

This did result in a scare a couple of years ago, which ended up being a false alarm. I wouldn't have preventative surgery as even with high percentages there is still a chance I won't get them, but fully respect people that do have preventative surgery, less cowardly than me. I just hope that the regular checks would catch anything soon enough for me to make informed choices there and then before it's too late. My sister did have the test and fortunately had the all clear and doesn't have the genes. I just don't work well with percentages unless it is 0% or 100%.

Good on her for speaking out, and I hope that it only inspires others and boosts those that are going through it themselves, and any awareness can only be good and maybe save lives. www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Breastcancer/Pages/Breastcancergenes.aspx

[HesterShaw]

I would never consider anyone shallow who was hesitating about thinking about this. In our minds, it's not just another operation. It's not even equivalent to a hysterectomy, imo.

Good luck Princess with whatever you decide.

[Punkatheart]

I usually roll my eyes when they talk about celebrities' 'courage' as it usually means a benign cyst on Katie Price's finger. But this - yes it is true courage and I really feel a woman like this coming out to make this decision, would be a huge help to anyone else facing the same tough decision.

It stunned me, her article. It should remind us all that being beautiful, married to a movie star - doesn't necessary make for a 'blessed' life - as we are all mortal.

I wish her well and like any woman in her situation, I would love to send her a hug.

[NorthernLurker]

I'm realkly struck by what Princesswatermelon said 'It has normalised it and has removed the taboo in my mind. I do think that if she can do it, then so can I' - what a legacy that is. If a world famous, beautiful woman can contemplate this and say in public and out loud that it hasn't diminished her femininity, then that is of huge help to all the other women contemplating this.

[showtunesgirl]

Punkatheart to be fair to Katie Price, and I'm not usually, I think the growth on her finger was malignant?

[GetOrfMoiLand]

This must have been terribly frightening for her. And Michelle Heaton who had the same procedure recently. I know that they are at the opposite ends of the celebrity scale but they are both known for their looks and body image, rightly or wrongly. It must be a scary prospect for a non-celeb woman, with added complications as well if you are in the public eye. I think they are both brave to have spoken openly about it.

And they both have daughters as well, which must be a worry for years down the line.

[NorthernLurker]

What an example she's setting for her girls though getorf - get the information, make decisions - it's all very positive.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

It is, isn't it. It is an incredibly brave thing to do. I cannot imagine being able to make such a decision. Anyone who does this is to be admired for that bravery.

[LarkinSky]

I think she is inspirational. .already did before this because of her UN work with refugees and helping women victims of sexual viennese in conflict. Even moreso now. Hollywood needs more winemaking cut from her cloth.

Ps I never watched Tomb Raider but I believe it's from early in her career - if it's a trashy movie so what, we all have made career decisions we regret I'm sure. She's grown in stature as an actor and a humanitarian over the years, in my view. The UN chose well when it have her a job.

[LarkinSky]

Bl

[DoctorAnge]

Absolutely beautiful, inspirational strong and dignified Woman.

[LarkinSky]

Sorry, third time right - bloody iPhone, I meant 'sexual violence in conflict' not Viennese of course. It always happens when I try to write a serious post.

[LarkinSky]

And women not winemaking! I give up.

[HesterShaw]

Larkin

[Copthallresident]

I would be a bit about being inspired by her good works, if you look beyond her adoption of Maddox and setting up her foundations in Cambodia she has got herself involved in some pretty dubious moral territory www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/04/hollyworld-angies-legacy-_n_1076492.html and there are some fantastic NGOs working there that she could have supported rather than deciding to ride in on her own white charger.

As a woman who has had a mastectomy as a result of getting Cancer I also find the coverage a little insensitive. Yes it will help people facing the same dilemma but plenty of women don't have choices, especially in relation to reconstruction of a perfect boob and so perhaps a little less emphasis on the importance of emerging with beautiful boobs and a little more on the importance of surviving to lead a fulfilling life whatever shape you are, might be a little more inspiring

[HesterShaw]

With respect, Cop, I haven't even read anything anywhere about her having undergone a reconstruction of perfect boobs. I just assumed she had had the procedure.

But yes, I agree with the last bit :)

[Darkesteyes]

A brave strong and inspirational woman. And in the middle of all this she was in the Congo highlighting what was happening there I watched it on channel 4 news at the time.

Seen something on Twitter which made my blood boil. The most liked comment on a news website was "Poor Brad"
Angelina you are an inspitation and you ARE as good a mum as your mum was.

[Copthallresident]

Hester She was quoted as saying that she had had the mastectomy and reconstruction before oophorectomy because it was more involved, which it simply isn't necessarily. A straightforward mastectomy though psychologically difficult is comparatively straight forward surgery, easier than oophorectomy, it doesn't involve any muscle, and is even sometimes done as a day case. What AJ and Michele Heaton went through is a gruelling (eleven hours in the case of using muscle from your stomach) and involved operation that takes muscle from another part of the body and tunnels it to form a new breast. This operation is not one you take on lightly, and removing muscle from other parts of your body has long term consequences. Obviously if like me you face a difficult prognosis and chemo it may not be a challenge you want to face straight away, just surviving is your priority, and it may not be an option anyway for many people for various practical and physical reasons. It doesn't help come to terms with this when there is all this emphasis in the media on the ubiquity of reconstruction, and the "beautiful results" . How about appreciating women can be beautiful without them?

[GibberTheMonkey]

Oh no. I did wonder how many comments about the loss of her breasts there would be by pervy men.