Episode 29: BRCA: A Jewish Legacy

One in 40 Ashkenazi Jews carries the BRCA genetic mutation, which is strongly linked to breast and ovarian cancer.

In this Episode of Can We Talk?, we explore the legacy of BRCA-linked cancers among Ashkenazi Jewish women. We discuss the difficult choice of whether to get tested for the mutation, how to interpret the results, and what to do next. Host Nahanni Rous talks with a mother-daughter team on a mission to fight breast cancer, a genetic counselor who has helped thousands of women grapple with genetic test results, and a survivor of ovarian cancer.

Dr. Rachel Brem directs the Breast Imaging and Intervention at George Washington Cancer Center, Andrea Wolf is the CEO of the Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer, and Peggy Cottrell is a genetic counselor with Sharsheret, a nonprofit that supports Jewish women who have been diagnosed or are at increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

Additional Resources:

Advanced Breast Cancer Network FORCE, Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Metastatic Breast Cancer Network The Susan G. Komen Foundation

 

Released March 13, 2019
  • Dr. Rachel Brem, Director of the Breast Imaging and Intervention at George Washington Cancer Center. Photo courtesy of Andrea Wolf.

  • Dr. Rachel Brem, Director of the Breast Imaging and Intervention at George Washington Cancer Center, and Andrea Wolf, CEO of the Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer. Photo courtesy of Andrea Wolf.

  • Team Sharsheret at the 2018 NYC Making Strides Walk. Photo credit: Glenn L. Photography.

  • Dr. Rachel Brem
  • Dr. Rachel Brem and Andrea Wolf
  • Sharsharet

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How to cite this page

Jewish Women's Archive. "Episode 29: BRCA: A Jewish Legacy." (Viewed on November 23, 2024) <https://jwa.org/podcasts/canwetalk/episode-29-brca-jewish-legacy>.