Mum decides to have double mastectomy after being told of cancer risk
Underwear model Jade Power made the courageous choice to have a voluntary double mastectomy after learning she had an elevated risk of breast cancer. She made the decision after her sister got cancer.
While pregnant, Jade discovered she carried the 'PALB2' gene, which increased her chances of developing breast cancer to a staggering 71%. After a nine-month wait to breast feed her child, she underwent a risk-reducing surgery, and now feels 'genuinely blessed'.
Following her reconstructive surgery, 30-year-old Jade has returned to modelling and feels more confident than ever. "When I made the decision to have the surgery I couldn't find anyone who was positive about it- I want to be that positive voice for others," she said. "I worried that I might never be able to wear beautiful bras again, but I feel genuinely blessed.
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"Having the double mastectomy was a 100% certain decision for me, but I worried I might feel less feminine - I can safely say now that I feel 100% a woman still." Jade's awareness of her risk came after her sister, Donna Power, 41, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021.
A subsequent test showed that both sisters were carriers of the Brca-related PALB2 gene mutation, which normally helps prevent cancer but increases breast cancer risk when mutated. Jade's life-changing operation then took place at Guys Hospital in London in August around two years ago.
She has since undergone reconstructive surgery and now sports 34D size implants, having been able to retain her natural nipples. Together with her sister, Jade has launched a campaign named Not Just Braca to raise awareness about the hereditary causes of breast and other cancers.
Jade, from Rye, Sussex, said: "I just couldn't live with that level of risk. Once you've been diagnosed it affects your fertility and everything. If someone told you there was a 71% chance the breaks on your car would fail then you wouldn't go out in it.
"My sister had already been diagnosed and was too ill from chemo to make the choice I was able to make. It feels amazing to be back doing lingerie modelling and feeling confident.
"I can't think of a better way to celebrate than modelling my favourite brand - Bravissimo. It's been a long journey but I feel more empowered now than ever."
