[standfirst] Teacher Jane Boyd, from Darlington, endured two years of invasive treatment to dramatically reduce her risk of cancer. Jess Johnson, one of her former students, reports [sf ends]

WHAT Jane Boyd has gone through in the past two years bears striking similarities to the experiences of Hollywood star Angelina Jolie.

Earlier this year, the actress underwent a double mastectomy after learning that she was carrying a faulty gene that left her at a greatly-increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Ms Boyd was diagnosed with a similar defect – in her case the BRCA2 protein, which increases the likelihood of developing of both breast and ovarian cancer - in the summer of 2011.

The 49-year-old mother-of-one decided to follow in the footsteps of the Lara Croft actress by going public about her ordeal in an effort to raise awareness and increase understanding.

She describes her decision to go ahead with the treatment – which included a double mastectomy – as the best she’s ever made.

Ms Boyd, who teaches psychology at Queen Elizabeth (QE) Sixth Form College, in Darlington, has written a 1,000-word article about her experiences over the past two years.

She was delighted when an extract of her piece was published in the October edition of Good Housekeeping magazine, which was a breast cancer awareness special.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the college has held a number of fundraising events to raise the profile of breast cancer among students and staff.

Ms Boyd says says: “When Angelina Jolie announced that she had undergone a double mastectomy as she carried a faulty gene, I contacted Good Housekeeping 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 a genetic mutation which gives a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

“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 the article, Ms Boyd said losing her breasts was not as tough an experience as many might think.

She wrote: “Their demise began when a relative in the US tested positive for a genetic fault. I went to get checked and had an 80 per cent risk of breast cancer.

“I also faced a high risk of attack from the so-called ‘silent killer’, ovarian cancer.

“I had a very personal decision to make, and it was clear that radical risk-reduction surgery was what I wanted.

“Other women might feel differently, but I chose to have my ovaries removed; chose double mastectomy; chose life.

“I was fortunate to have a brilliantly supportive husband, son, family and friends, plus impressive care from NHS staff.

“When my ovaries were removed, I knew I had done the right thing.

“I was flung into sudden, artificial menopause – but life went on.

“Yes, there were hot flushes and night sweats, but they were not unbearable.

“Next, I had a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. The nurses and my anaesthetist distracted me, and when I woke up with my new breasts, I thought I hadn’t been done yet.

“An earnest young doctor informed me they’d removed 720g of me from the right and 680g from the left.

“I didn’t miss it, I was glad to be rid of this lethal flesh and all the dangers that lurked there. My risk of breast cancer was reduced by 97 per cent.”

Ms Boyd, who has an 18-year-old son, said the article emphasises the large number of people currently going through genetic testing and reconstruction surgery.

She describes her treatment as a ‘positive experience’, one she recommends for anyone faced with the same dilemma.

She says: “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, whose wonderful support, friendship and good humour has made such a difference.”

Having been a member of college staff since 1999, she bravely carried on teaching during the two-year period of treatment, and she commends her employer for allowing her to carry on as normal. Students were not aware of what she was going through at the time.

Since making her treatment known, they have organised fundraising events such as Pink Friday, which involves students, both male and female, dressing in pink to raise funds for charity.

Ms Boyd is now back at work full-time and feeling positive about the future.

Her article concludes: “My girlfriends have named my new breasts Perky and Bouncy, and I now feel pretty perky and bouncy about the future.

“I know my life is worth more than the sum of my surgically-removed parts.

“I love my new breasts and I value them for the freedom they represent. What little scarring I have is, thankfully, on the outside.”

:: For more information about breast cancer awareness month, visit breastcancercare.org.uk