The sun setting at Lizard's Mouth just north of Santa Barbara.

This week is National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (NBOC) week and tomorrow is National Previvor Day.  With the help of the organization FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered), a non-profit organization whose mission is “to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer,” it was just last year that this week was recognized by Congressional resolution to raise awareness for individuals, like myself, who are facing a heightened risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

As explained on the FORCE website, “HBOC Week marks the transition between National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and recognizes anyone affected by hereditary breast or ovarian cancer, including women and men with BRCA mutations, people with a family history of cancer, breast and ovarian cancer survivors, and previvors, individuals who carry a strong predisposition to cancer but have not developed the disease.”

I define myself as a previvor (written about previously here and here.)  On January 8, 2008, I elected to have a preventive double mastectomy to proactively address my heightened risk of breast cancer.  I am a thyroid cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with that disease at age 21.  I did not want constant medical testing to rule my life anymore.  At the time of my preventive surgery, I had a 7-month old little girl and was ready to design my life in a way that made me feel empowered, enthusiastic and without fear. That surgery was a turning point in my life.  I no longer felt controlled by my risk of breast cancer, but felt as if I had taken the reigns on my life.

Within a year, Adesso was born and I now have the privilege of designing jewelry and working with a team of women (and our newly hired, Aidan!) who inspire me to be better and more creative every day.  One major goal of mine has been to utilize the platform of Adesso to raise awareness about causes dear to my heart.

The work that FORCE is doing obviously is in line with that ambition. The Butterfly Project, founded by Molly and Dara Marias with the purpose to raise money to support the Brenda L. Caplan Memorial Scholarship Fund, moved me in a profound way.  The fund aims to provide resources to empower individuals to make decisions like the one I made. “Brenda was a teacher and later, school counselor, by profession. She firmly believed in the power of education to make a difference and change the direction of a person’s life.   The cost of a flight to Florida, a hotel room and the Conference fee (FORCE holds an annual conference to educated individuals about their options in facing their hereditary risk of breast and ovarian cancer.) is not inexpensive even though in many respects, the experience is priceless.  It is our hope that in Brenda’s name, we can alleviate the financial concern, so that people like Dara, who need support, guidance, and information, can attend the Conference and move forward with their lives.”

The beautiful Brenda Caplan

I designed the Adesso for The Butterfly Project Collection to show my support to this cause.  Adesso will donate 25% of the profits of any sales made of the Adesso for The Butterfly Collection.  I hope to join Brenda’s daughter and granddaughter next year at FORCE’s annual conference.

One of the Adesso for The Butterfly Project bracelets (25% of sale goes to The Butterfly Project to support FORCE)

I am thankful that there is now a week that honors those of us who are faced with the reality of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and that tomorrow those of us who have preemptively and proactively dealt with this risk have our own day to be proud of being previvors.

I know that not everyone would make the decisions that I have made.  However, I do feel that we all should be empowered with the information necessary to make the best and right decisions for and about our own lives.  That knowledge has changed my life for the better, allowed me to do so many new things in the last few years and taught me to live without fear.  We can all hopefully relate to that and always strive to be better.