In honor of the seven year anniversary since his adopted daughter Charlotte passed away from ovarian cancer, actor Pierce Brosnan celebrated her memory with a touching message of love and remembrance.
On Instagram, Brosnan, 67, penned a heartfelt caption in memory of his daughter Charlotte, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 2013. The acclaimed actor has certainly experienced hardships due to the disease, seeing as he also lost his lost his first wife Cassandra (Charlotte’s mother) to ovarian cancer in 1991. Both women were in their early 40s, and likely carried a genetic predisposition to the disease (Cassandra's mother also passed away from it).
Read MoreOvarian Cancer And Genetic Testing: Why It’s Important
Women who are genetically predisposed to ovarian cancer were likely born with genetic mutations in their DNA which increases their risk of developing the disease. Seeing as many women may not know they have these mutations, testing is important to not only identify whether a patient is at higher risk, but also determine the best course of treatment after a diagnosis. However, experts have told SurvivorNet that 80% of women with ovarian cancer are not getting genetic testing.
Related: 'Genetic Testing Saved My Life' Joanna Gutermuth's Ovarian Cancer Story
“We know that about 20%, and the numbers may be even higher, that our patients with ovarian cancer have a hereditary predisposition," says Dr. Jocelyn Chapman, a gynecologic oncologist at UCSF Medical Center.
Once receiving an ovarian cancer diagnosis, patients will be referred to a doctor for genetic testing to see if they have hereditary dispositions. By going through testing, doctors can determine different treatment strategies that will best suit a patient's needs.
"This information now is crucially important to understanding what treatments [will] most benefit [patients]," Dr. Chapman says.
Ovarian Cancer Survivors Making New Memories With Family
Following cancer treatment, making new memories are often extra special for many survivors. For ovarian cancer survivor Elizabeth Johnston, a new part of her life started after being declared “cancer-free.” Her diagnosis came at the time when she was trying to get pregnant, and even though many women struggle with fertility after cancer treatment, her story fortunately has a happy ending.
Related: 'I Always Knew I Wanted to be a Mommy' Cancer Survivor Stephanie Virgin's Story
"A year after having both my ovaries removed, I had a daughter," Elizabeth said. "My partner and I had been trying to get pregnant for awhile. During chemo we decided that we would no longer try to retrieve any more eggs, so we decided, after speaking to my Gyn-Onc, to just remove my other ovary at the end of chemo. We transferred the few embryos that we had. I continued following up with him about my uterus. I had a hysterectomy, almost a year to the day of my initial surgery. Before that, we started the process of adoption. And we brought home our daughter in July. I wouldn't have gotten to her if not for this process. I wouldn't want it any other way.”
Ovarian cancer survivor Elizabeth Johnston shares her experience having a daughter after treatment
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