Genetics—it’s a field I had not thought much about prior to my breast cancer diagnosis. I learned the basics in biology class, but that was the extent of it. In hindsight, I wish I had been more curious about my genetic makeup; about the intricate complexity of my DNA. A malignancy alters everything.

Women should know only 5-10% of breast cancers are considered “familial” or resulting from inherited genes. Yet they should also know having a family history of breast cancer is one of the strongest predictors of breast cancer.