In 2001 I was diagnosed with stage IIIC ovarian cancer at the age of 32. My mom, the late Judge Judy West, died of breast cancer in 1991, at the age of 49. My maternal aunt also died of breast cancer early in life. If someone would have told me prior to 2001 that breast and ovarian cancer were genetically linked, it could have made a difference in my life today.

Our mom, Judy M. West, died of breast cancer February 19, 1991, at age 49. While in her early 40’s, she found a lump on her breast and immediately pursued medical attention. She opted for a mastectomy and no further treatment options were suggested to her because her lymph node biopsies came back negative.