Suzanne C, Florida

Age: 43

I'm 43 and married with one daughter; increased surveillance along with a prophylactic mastectomy and Alloderm One Step reconstruction.

I'm more than my risk… some fun facts about myself:

Favorite book / authors:
Nelson DeMille

Favorite TV / Movies:
Project Runway and Life is Beautiful

Favorite Quote:
"This is my body and I can do whatever I want to it. I can push it and study it, tweak it, listen to it. Everybody wants to know what I'm on. What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my ass six hours a day. What are YOU on?"—Lance Armstrong

Favorite Song:
Musical Artist: Billy Joel

Other favorites?
Travel! My husband and I are both Sagittarians who always have a bag packed and are ready to go!
I am a very big fan of "Project Runway"! Though it's a "reality show" it is one that displays actual creativity and fabulous talent. As a dance teacher and choreographer, I admire people who have creative minds and are able to bring their ideas to fruition.

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My journey

My mother and aunt had breast cancer, so I decided to test.

The hardest part of my journey

Grappling with the oophorectomy. The mastectomy and reconstruction was a decision I had made even BEFORE I tested. I am really struggling with the oophorectomy decisions.

If I could do it over again

I think I would have done it sooner (testing and surgery) instead of worrying about my breast cancer risk for so long.

My participation with FORCE

I have no words to express what FORCE means to me. There is nowhere else I can go that provides such incredible support, understanding and, in my own opinion, the most up to date and ACCURATE information regarding breast and ovarian cancer. My only regret is not discovering FORCE sooner. It's become my "mission," so to speak, to tell as many people I can about FORCE.

I am happy, ready, willing and able to speak publicly or privately with anyone interested in this journey. I am proud of my choices and happy I made them. I feel more in control now than I ever have in my whole life and I really feel like I have FORCE to thank for that, because knowledge really is power.

Other thoughts

I look upon the knowledge that I am BRCA positive as a gift. How many people have that kind of powerful information about their health? There are a myriad of health problems that one can face of which there are no warning, nothing preventative you can do. With this information, I was able to take concrete steps to protect myself from the possibility of one day facing cancer.