EastEnders and Strictly star Kara Tointon reveals she’s undergone double mastectomy
AN EastEnders and Strictly star has revealed that she has undergone a double mastectomy.
Kara Tointon, 41, who played the role of Dawn Swann in hit BBC soap EastEnders, had a double mastectomy after finding out that she carries the BRCA1 gene.
Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Kara shared an emotional post about her private ordeal.
She explained how she made the decision to have a double mastectomy after losing her mum to ovarian cancer in 2018.
In the post she revealed to fans how she has undergone a double mastectomy and had her Fallopian tubes removed.
In a video with The Eve Appeal, which is a leading gynaecological cancer charity, Kara got candid with viewers.
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"This is personal, but important," the written caption began.
"I am sharing with you my journey with the BRCA1 gene. It’s about understanding, choices, and taking control. Hope this helps someone out there."
In the video, Kara sat in a grey hoodie and said: "You may have heard of the BRCA genes type 1 and 2 and as a carrier it means that I am at a greater risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.
"Back in 2018 when my mum was undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, I was asked to take a genetics test.
"There is a history of both cancers in my family but for various reasons including generational trauma of which I'll talk more about another time, we hadn't looked into it until that point."
She went on: "But it was put to us, we took the test and it was confirmed that my mum and I both carried the gene."
Kara, who is a mother of two, said that her family was at the forefront of her mind when making the decision.
"I was pregnant with my first child at the time, knew I wanted more children if possible so over the next couple of years I was invited to various meetings by the NHS to really become informed and to understand all my options.
"Last year having had my second son in 2021 and deciding that our family was complete, I underwent two preventative surgeries.
"The first a double mastectomy and the second a two part protector study, a trial.
"They believe that ovarian cancer begins in the Fallopian tubes so by removing them first checking out you can remove the ovaries later," she explained.
Kara, who previously won Strictly Come Dancing spoke about how undergoing tests made her want to undergo the surgery.
"We are finding out more and more about personal genetics and most people believe in surveillance, but after doing this for a couple of years, having MRIs, waiting for biopsy, we decided that this was the right decision for me and my family," she added.
She then spoke about it not being an "easy" decision to make, but added that she was glad she went through with it.
"I wasn't an easy decision, but one I am very glad that I made," she said.
"I can now with hindsight talk about it properly," Kara added.
Concluding the video, Kara said: "I'd like to thank my surgeons Dr Adam Rosenthal and Dr Gerard Cuie, I can't thank them enough.
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"I wanted to talk about it because hearing other people's experience, helped so much and knowledge is power, communication is key, getting to know our bodies, our cycles is only a good thing, but I'll be talking about this a lot more.
"Happy Lippy month and take care."
