Angelina: I had surgery for my children

Jolie is in London this week hosting the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Jolie is in London this week hosting the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Published Jun 12, 2014

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London - When she spoke publicly about having a preventive double mastectomy last year, her revelation surprised the world.

But on Wednesday Angelina Jolie said choosing to have the surgery was an easy decision – prompted by fears she would have to face her children in years to come and admit she had cancer, but could have stopped it.

The actress claimed the procedure was a small sacrifice compared to the torment of losing her own mother to the disease in 2007, and that she did not want her family to suffer in the same way.

Jolie had the surgery after learning that she carries a mutation of the BRCA1 gene, which sharply increases the risk of developing cancer. Doctors estimated that she had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Jolie, who has six children with Brad Pitt said: “Having lost my mother, and with the thought that if she had the surgery she may have been around years longer... the thought of telling my children I had cancer because I didn’t have the surgery was more frightening to me.

“I’m very happy that I made a decision that will help me be around for my children.”

Jolie is in London this week hosting the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. - Daily Mail

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