EMILY RANOBLE: ‘I have a date for my mastectomy’

Two generations of women on the maternal side of 26-year-old Emily Ranoble’s family have been affected by breast cancer.

She is due to have radical surgery to stop her developing the disease and is writing a weekly blog for us...

I have a date for my mastectomy. On April 13 I will be going under the knife at Pinderfields Hospital.

Anyone who has followed my story will know what a big deal this is to me.

My family has been deeply affected by cancer and I lost my mum to the disease when I was nine.

Many other female relatives have also suffered, but soon I will be able to say ‘not me’.

Thanks to amazing advances in our understanding of cancer and the preventative measures available, I have been given the opportunity to protect myself.

My operation is a bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy, where both breasts will be removed and I’m fortunate that reconstruction is going to be performed in the same procedure. A breast surgeon will first remove both breasts; then a plastic surgeon will insert implants and sew me up.

This isn’t a small operation, however having seen so many people I love go through the trauma of cancer I have no doubt that I am making the right decision.

I can’t pretend I’m not apprehensive but my overwhelming feeling is a positive one. I know I am privileged to have been given this opportunity and would encourage other women in a similar situation to look at their options too. Over the coming weeks I will keep everyone updated. I’d like to thank everyone for their continued support.