College News
The Best Decision I Ever Made
Date Posted: 10/09/2013 | Posted In: Latest news
Jane Boyd who teaches Psychology at QE has recently undergone preventive surgery to avert the risk of cancer. She wants to help others who may be in a similar situation and has just had an article about her story published in Good Housekeeping.
Explaining her decision to talk publicly about her experiences, Jane says:
‘When Angelina Jolie announced that she had undergone a double mastectomy as she carried a faulty gene, I contacted ‘Good Housekeeping’ magazine with an article I had written about my own experience of having radical risk reduction surgery. I took the decision after discovering I was a carrier of the BRACA 2 genetic mutation which gives a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. I am delighted that the magazine is publishing an extract in their October edition which is out early in September.
My experience over more than two years of tests, surgery and recovery has been ultimately a very positive one. Raising awareness and helping others face such decisions is very important to me and, in my article, I aimed to tackle the subject with openness and a bit of positive humour.
In addition to the great support I have had from family and friends, I am very thankful to the excellent staff at Darlington Memorial Hospital who took me through my first operation and the fantastic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle who put me back together again.
Many students at QE have been unaware how important they have been in simply helping me carry on as normal whilst teaching them. Also, I am particularly grateful to my amazing colleagues at QE whose wonderful support, friendship and good humour has made such a difference. Thank you!’
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Jane’s experiences will link into activities at QE to raise the profile of breast cancer amongst students and staff.
