{"id":11915,"date":"2026-02-03T10:49:44","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T11:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=11915"},"modified":"2026-02-04T21:33:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T21:33:41","slug":"i-was-curious-about-my-jewish-ancestry-i-ended-up-with-a-cancer-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/03\/i-was-curious-about-my-jewish-ancestry-i-ended-up-with-a-cancer-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"I was curious about my Jewish ancestry \u2013 I ended up with a cancer diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"Sophie\t<\/div>
I have Jewish ancestry on my mum\u2019s side, but I\u2019ve never really felt Jewish (Picture: Sophie Collis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Guy\u2019s Hospital called asking me to come in, I already knew what was coming.<\/p>\n

Hearing that I had cancer at 31 was, of course, <\/strong>a shock \u2013 but there\u2019s no way I could have  predicted that, because of my ancestry, spitting into a tube would lead me here.<\/p>\n

I have Jewish ancestry on my mum\u2019s side, but I\u2019ve never really felt Jewish. My family and I aren\u2019t practicing and don\u2019t go to a synagogue.<\/p>\n

But in February 2024, when the NHS Jewish BRCA programme first launched \u2013 offering free BRCA testing to anyone with a Jewish grandparent \u2013 my brother, a doctor, shared a link in our family<\/strong> WhatsApp<\/a> group.<\/p>\n

BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes help repair DNA breaks that can lead to cancer. But when there\u2019s a mutation, or \u2018fault\u2019, with these genes, they stop working correctly and the level of protection against cancer goes down.<\/p>\n

BRCA gene faults affect around 1 in 200 people in the general population, but for those with Jewish ancestry, the risk rises to 1 in 40 people; and up to 40% of ovarian cancers and 10% of breast cancers in the Jewish community are linked to a BRCA gene fault.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Sophie\t<\/div>
My mum had lung cancer at the time I received the letter, but the disease was still rare in our family (Picture: Sophie Collis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I wasn\u2019t remotely concerned that I might have a BRCA gene fault myself. But I was curious.<\/p>\n

So I ordered a test kit, which was in the form of a saliva test.  I simply had to spit in a tube and post it off.<\/p>\n

I then didn\u2019t think about it at all until a letter arrived in September 2024. When I opened it, I was shocked to find I had a BRCA1 fault.<\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t understand it.<\/p>\n

The families I teach about are the ones with a long generational history of breast or ovarian cancer. My mum had lung cancer at the time I received the letter, but the disease was still rare in our family and nobody I knew of had had breast or ovarian cancer. All my grandparents lived until 90.<\/p>\n

\n
Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">Have you considered genetic testing for information like this? Share your thoughts below<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Within a week, I spoke with a genetic counsellor who explained my options. He put me into an annual breast screening programme and went through symptoms to look out for: lumps in my breasts or armpits, abdominal changes, or changes in the frequency of needing to wee.<\/p>\n<p>The counsellor said that at 31 and with my family history, he wouldn\u2019t recommend a preventative mastectomy yet. But I felt reassured that this was an option I could consider in the future.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/05\/06\/check-breast-cancer-symptoms-may-not-know-20784487\/\">I started checking my breasts regularly \u2013 something I hadn\u2019t done before<\/a>. One morning, in the shower, I found a lump and, a few weeks later, called the GP. They referred me for a biopsy \u2013 I was sure it would be nothing.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tFind out more about cancer and your heritage \t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>You can find out more information \u2013 whether or not you have Jewish heritage \u2013 on Ovarian Cancer Action\u2019s website: <a href=\"http:\/\/ovarian.org.uk\/BRCA\">Hereditary cancer and risk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>To find out more about ovarian <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/cancer\/\">cancer<\/a> and genetic mutations visit <a href=\"https:\/\/eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fovarian.org.uk%2Fbrca&data=05%7C02%7CIzzie.Price%40metro.co.uk%7C35f0da003fd845fe9aff08de54e0745f%7C0f3a4c644dc54a768d4152d85ca158a5%7C0%7C0%7C639041520170086071%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=F4ZxXMOSis7fErAto3IZuEvRRJaa8kls5%2B0C4CnpgDo%3D&reserved=0\">ovarian.org.uk\/brca<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>But two months after my genetics result and six weeks after I\u2019d found a lump in my breast, I found out I had grade 3 triple negative <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/breast-cancer\/\">breast cancer<\/a> \u2013 an aggressive cancer, thankfully caught early.<\/p>\n<p>Strangely, I felt calm and prepared. I knew catching it early was key, and I knew about the range of treatment options available.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/12\/14\/denied-treatment-help-live-longer-25113628\/\">My biggest worry was how to tell my family.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I told my parents and my brother together. This was especially hard because my mum was already undergoing treatment for her own cancer and <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/06\/04\/like-jessie-j-told-early-breast-cancer-23331155\/\">suffering from the side effects.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Then, less than two weeks later, my dad was diagnosed with terminal bile duct cancer out of the blue, after a routine blood test from his GP.<\/p>\n<p>This was a huge shock to us all. We felt battered by wave after wave of bad news \u2013 my brother became the only member of our immediate family who hadn\u2019t been diagnosed with cancer.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"405\" src=\"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SEI_272055306-d8c9-e1770113060701.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24540424\" alt=\"Sophie Collis - I had no idea my Jewish ancestry meant I had a higher chance of breast cancer\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t<\/div><figcaption>We felt battered by wave after wave of bad news (Picture: Sophie Collis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It was a gruelling time. I went through seven months of chemotherapy, a year of immunotherapy, and a double mastectomy. <\/p>\n<p>My dad and I started chemo at the same time, just before <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/christmas\/\">Christmas<\/a> in 2024, so it was a challenging time as a family. There were some weeks where I had chemo on a Monday, my dad on a Tuesday and my mum on a Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>One of the hardest parts of chemo for me was losing my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes \u2013 it made me <em>look<\/em> like a cancer patient, and made visiting work each <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/01\/15\/cant-understand-people-use-this-one-word-discussing-cancer-22358083\/\">week more daunting.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The double mastectomy felt like a double-edged sword, I didn\u2019t want to have it, but I knew it would reduce my risk of the cancer returning. I was nervous about how I\u2019d look and, being single, what <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/dating\/\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\">dating<\/a> would be like after surgery. <\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tFind out more about the NHS Jewish BRCA programme\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>The NHS Jewish BRCA programme is free, simple, and available until 31 October 2025. To find out more and register, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/ovarian.org.uk\/nhs-test\">The NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In the end, the results were much better than I expected; on any average day, nobody would know that I had undergone the surgery, and I have been able to go on holiday and wear bikinis happily since.<\/p>\n<p>In my first check-up after surgery in July 2025,<strong> <\/strong>I was told there was no more evidence of disease. It felt like all the challenges of the chemotherapy and surgery had been worth it, and it was a joy to celebrate with all the people who\u2019d supported me.<\/p>\n<p>But, devastatingly, we lost my mum to her lung cancer in December 2025 and my dad is on his final cycle of palliative chemotherapy. We are an incredibly close family and it has been hard to celebrate my own recovery while <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/12\/22\/sonographer-made-a-shock-admission-mammograms-saved-life-22198096\/\">grieving for my mum and seeing what my dad is going through.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>If it wasn\u2019t for that free NHS BRCA testing programme, I wouldn\u2019t have started checking my breasts. As someone who hadn\u2019t been to the GP for years, I doubt I\u2019d ever have found the lump before knowing my BRCA1 status.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"436\" src=\"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SEI_272055304-6082-e1770113032513.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-24540428\" alt=\"Sophie Collis - I had no idea my Jewish ancestry meant I had a higher chance of breast cancer\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t<\/div><figcaption>I\u2019m proud to be supporting Ovarian Cancer Action with their campaigning (Picture: Sophie Collis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This knowledge ultimately saved my life \u2013 and, after my diagnosis, several of my cousins decided to take the BRCA test. Eight people in my family tested positive for the gene fault.<\/p>\n<p>Ovarian Cancer Action are currently raising awareness of BRCA gene faults, as so many ovarian cancer cases could be prevented with knowledge, preventative surgery and screening. They\u2019re also funding pioneering research like OvarianVax \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/01\/24\/one-tiny-symptom-never-thought-cancer-2-22410760\/\">a potential vaccine that could one day prevent ovarian cancer altogether.<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tPrefer us to the others? Then tell Google!\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>As a loyal Metro reader, we want to make sure you never miss our stories when searching for your news. Whether it is the latest politics news explained, live football coverage or a showbiz scoop.<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=metro.co.uk\">here<\/a> and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"388\" src=\"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Headshots-1-78d4.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25587398\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t<\/div><figcaption>Our journalists work hard to deliver the most important stories from around the world<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I\u2019m proud to be supporting Ovarian Cancer Action with their campaigning \u2013 and if you have Jewish ancestry, even without a family history of cancer, I urge you to get tested for a BRCA gene fault. Registrations for the scheme I took part in have now closed, but your GP may be able to refer you to a genetic specialist if you meet certain criteria; or you can pay for private testing.<\/p>\n<p>Knowledge is power. My BRCA test didn\u2019t just lead to my own early cancer diagnosis; it\u2019s helping protect my entire family.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing <a href=\"mailto:ross.mccafferty@metro.co.uk\" data-type=\"mailto\" data-id=\"mailto:ross.mccarthy@metro.co.uk\">Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk<\/a><a href=\"mailto:Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk\" data-type=\"mailto\" data-id=\"mailto:Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk\">.<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Share your views in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom\"><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-comments\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span><title>Comment now<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-preferred-source\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have Jewish ancestry on my mum\u2019s side, but I\u2019ve never really felt Jewish (Picture: Sophie Collis) When Guy\u2019s Hospital called asking me to come in, I already knew what was coming. Hearing that I had cancer at 31 was, of course, a shock \u2013 but there\u2019s no way I could have  predicted that, because […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11915"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11915"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11922,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11915\/revisions\/11922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}