Melissa Etheridge News: Breast Cancer Survivor Does Not Believe Angelina Jolie Preventive Double Mastectomy Was 'Brave' Choice
Melissa Etheridge does not believe Angelina Jolie's choice to undergo a preventative double mastectomy was a brave one.
Etheridge granted an interview to the Washington Blade, which was posted June 13. The Come to My Window rocker, who is also a breast cancer survivor, did not feel that Jolie deserved to be called heroic or have such latitudes placed on her. In May, Jolie disclosed in an op-ed to The New York Times that she discovered she carried the BRCA1 gene, which increased her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Jolie was told that she had 87% chance of being inflicted with the former and 50% for the latter. She opted to have preventative surgery. Jolie's fiancé, Brad Pitt, called her heroic the same day of her revelation.
Etheridge told the gay publication that she felt differently.
"I have that gene mutation too, and [a preventative double mastectomy is] not something I would believe in for myself," she said.
The 52-year-old underwent five rounds of chemo for breast cancer in 2005. She felt that the decision to have a preventative mastectomy was a decision rooted from fear.
"I wouldn't call [having a preventative mastectomy] a brave choice. I actually think it's the most fearful choice you can make when confronting anything with cancer," she said.
Etheridge went on to state that cancer was more mind over matter. She felt that one's environment played a critical role in developing the disease. She advised cutting back on stress to help prevent the threat of cancer.
"It's the stress that will turn that gene on or not. Plenty of people have the gene mutation and everything, but it never comes to cancer, so I would say to anybody faced with that, that choice is way down the line on the spectrum of what you can do and to really consider the advancements we've made in things like nutrition and stress levels," Etheridge said.
Etheridge has been cancer free for nine years and said she better understood why she fell ill with breast cancer. She encouraged others to think before they took any drastic action in regards to their health.
"Looking back, I completely understand why I got cancer. There was so much acidity in everything. I really encourage people to go a lot longer and further before coming to that conclusion," she said.
