INDIANAPOLIS – A long family history of breast cancer led one Indianapolis woman to make a difficult decision.
Danielle Jenkins, 25, chose to undergo a double mastectomy and reconstruction shortly after her 24th birthday.
Her decision was sparked by her family’s history. Jenkins' mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 29 and her aunt at the age of 32. Both women died about 10 years later. Jenkins’ grandmother Phyllis was also diagnosed and then Phyllis’ niece.
“I don't know, it sounds bad,” said Jenkins, a mother and oncology nurse at IU Health Simon Cancer Center. “But I was kind of used to it. It's kind of like who is next?”
She said the decision was made at age 16, but she knew she would never breastfeed once she had children years later.
“It took a lot of time to think about it. I went back and forth back and forth all the time about it,” said Jenkins. “Breast feeding is a short period of time verses being there for all of their life accomplishments. So, nine months versus you know 20 something years is way better.”
Following surgery, Jenkins is happy with her decision and said her grandmother has been cancer free for two years.
“I'm not going to lie, I do struggle with self-image,” she said. “But I don't regret it. I look at my son and I am like 'ok, I did the right thing.'”
Dr. Carla Fisher, medical director of breast oncology at IU Health, said a preventative mastectomy is a personal decision.
"Some women who have a high lifetime risk of developing breast cancer will consider preventative mastectomy While it does not prevent breast cancer completely, a preventative mastectomy can decrease a high lifetime risk of cancer to almost zero," said Fisher.
Fisher said the first step is having a conversation with a trusted health care professional, which many times may be an OB/GYN or primary care provider.
"These professionals will usually refer you to a high risk clinic or a breast surgeon to discuss the procedure in more detail," she said.
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