Editor:
Our family went through the genetic testing this year, after we found out my identical twin sister had breast cancer at the age of 38.
We found out that all three kids, plus my dad, have the BRCA2 gene, which increases our risk of breast cancer from 50 to 80 per cent and ovarian cancer from 26 per cent, greater than the general population.
I found out in the summer that I had two tumours, after electing to do “preventative surgeries – bilateral mastectomy and partial hysterectomy,” and my second sister just found out she had pre-cancerous cells after she did her mastectomy last month.
When she went to see White Rock physician to speak about her next surgery – a partial hysterectomy – the doctor proceeded to tell my dad, “Don’t you know as the gene carrier you are killing your kids!”
When my dad left the room in tears, the doctor then told my sister “Can’t your dad take a joke?”
At this point, my sister did not know the results of her mastectomy.
We, of course, are horrified by what was said to my father and are equally horrified that she is telling us that we are dying. We are determined to beat this horrible disease, but to have a doctor say this to us in unimaginable.
These statements added more stress to a stressful situation. My family has been through hell watching my twin go through her surgeries, four months of chemo and six weeks of radiation. Then, one month after my twin had finished treatment, I found out that I had cancer, as well. Three months later, my other sister finds out she has pre-cancerous cells.
I would like this to become public. We have started filing a complaint with the College of Surgeons and Physicians, but it is a five-month minimum procedure.
We would like others to be aware of what is being said by this doctor.
Tanya Williams, Langley