Former EastEnders star Kara Tointon has undergone a double mastectomy.
Soap fans will recognise her from playing Dawn Swann in the iconic BBC series EastEnders, and the 41-year-old actress also appeared in The Football Factory.
Kara recently revealed that she found out she carries the BRCA1 gene and decided to undergo surgery. In an Instagram post, Kara shared a video explaining that she made the decision after her mum died in 2018.
She spoke about her experience in a video posted on The Eve Appeal’s profile: “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. “here 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.”
“But it was put to us, we took the test and it was confirmed that my mum and I both carried the gene.”
Kara said that she was “pregnant with her first child at the time” and after welcoming her second son last year, she “decided that her family was complete” and “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.”
Kara admitted that it was not an easy choice but it is “one she’s very glad that she made”.
In the caption she wrote: “This is personal, but important. 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.”
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