by Daniela Diaz Figueroa
It was 2019 and we were in DC, enjoying a visit from my father-in-law and his wife, when my husband entered the living room and excitedly announced to the family that we were moving to Senegal.
We were so looking forward to exploring life in Dakar! I spent the next few days thinking of all the things I had to plan and do.
The following afternoon I took my mother-in-law shopping. While walking through the isles of Target she said something that would change the course of my life (in a way).
She went “Why don’t you undergo your genetic testing to see if you have the BRCA gene now, before you move to Senegal?”. She is an oncologist. An excellent one.
You see, I have a line of women in my family who have had breast cancer so, at the age of 35 (back then) I was considered a high-risk patient. I was ordered two mammograms a year and a sonogram.
I knew my genetic tests were going to be positive, so I had declined having them done while I was pregnant with my first child. I did not have the strength to go through that at that time. And I had so much on my plate as a first-time mom living abroad!
But, as she continued to explain, she knew I was not going to go through two mammograms and a sonogram yearly, while moving to a new country with a toddler on tow.
Because it’s true that we carry a long list of things to do. We need to check the vaccination calendars for the kids and see if the Insurance policy for the house hasn’t expired. We must attend school functions and work meetings and plan playdates. We must stock up on groceries, and medications and cleaning products. And more often than not, we forget to fill in our preventive medicine cup. My MIL knew all of this too well.
My genetic testing came back positive (as expected) and the percentages of risk, much higher than my Doctor had anticipated.
The WB team kindly allowed us to push our assignment a bit so I could undergo my preventive surgery and reconstruction.
Days after, the fantastic team of the Virginia Hospital conducted my preventive double mastectomy and on the day that I got my doctor’s clearance, I took my flight to Senegal.
I always say that moving to Senegal (and having a fantastic MIL) probably saved my life.
This October, Breast Cancer Awareness month, you have 31 days to make that appointment for your mammogram. Don’t forget to fill your cup first. Early detection and auto exams, save lives.
If you have questions about my experience or would like to know more about it (recovery, pain management, etc) do not hesitate to contact me at ddiazfigueroa@worldbank.org. I am happy to help!
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