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Jennifer Freeman (right) with her family.

Patient Takes Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer

Oct. 10, 2025 | When she was in her 20s, Jennifer Freeman lost her beloved grandmother suddenly and vowed then to double down on her own health care. Unaware of any genetic risk factors, she asked about a mammogram and was told to wait until she was 40.

In October 2023, at age 40, she received an email from the DNA testing firm 23 & Me letting her know that the company recently made several updates to its BRCA1/BRCA2 report, including adding 41 new variants and that these updates may have caused a change to a result within her account.

“I opened the email, and the following sentence stared back at me in bold font: ‘You have a greatly increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.’ I sat there confused,” she said. “This must be a mistake, right? I mean, considering I didn’t have risk factors and had spent the past 20 years diligently staying on top of my health, it wasn’t on my radar.”

Freeman had an appointment with her gynecologist the following week and shared with her the information from the DNA report. Her doctor ordered a genetic blood test for the variant, and in January 2024 Freeman received a phone call letting her know that she tested positive for the BRAC2 gene. This gene increases a woman’s lifetime breast cancer risk to 55% to 69%, the risk for ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancers to 13% to 29% and the risk for pancreatic cancer to 5% to 10%.

“One thought of my children growing up without me, and I immediately scheduled a consultation for my first surgery,” she said. “While this may not be for everyone, for me it was about taking the reins and saying, ‘Not today, cancer!’”

She met with Daniela Ochoa, M.D., a surgical oncologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and, without a second thought, decided to have a preventive double mastectomy.

On March 19, 2024, Ochoa performed a bilateral prophylactic skin-sparing mastectomy, and UAMS Health plastic surgeon David Sterling, M.D., performed staged reconstruction with placement of tissue expanders the same day. Freeman went home the next day, and several months later, Sterling replaced the expanders with silicone implants during an outpatient procedure. To help prevent ovarian cancer, Freeman underwent a hysterectomy in July 2024.

Sterling performed two additional outpatient plastic surgery procedures in October 2024 and March 2025 to complete the reconstructive surgery process following Freeman’s double mastectomy. These included fat grafting to improve breast shape and nipple reconstruction.

“Dr. Sterling and his team put me back together, both physically and emotionally,” she said. “They made me feel heard and supported every step of the way.”

She encourages all women to know their risk for breast cancer. “Please get tested,” she said. “I alerted all my maternal aunts and a family member on my paternal side to get tested, but some have been told that they don’t ‘meet the criteria’ or ‘are at a low risk.’ I was considered ‘low risk’ too.

“My genetic counselor talked to me about two options: get checked every six months or have the prophylactic surgeries,” she said. “It was an easy decision for me. I was given an opportunity to decrease my risk by 60%, and I took it. I think of it this way: If you knew there was a 60% chance you’d win the lottery, wouldn’t you buy the ticket? Why wouldn’t I do everything I could to stack the odds in my favor?”

Freeman and her husband are both retired veterans and moved to Arkansas in search of a slower-paced life. She likes to take photos, read and bake in her spare time.

“As I grow stronger, both physically and mentally, from this whole experience, I am looking forward to continuing to rebuild my life, to savor the small moments with my family, and to feel more like myself again,” she said. “Most of all, I’m excited for the future, for the chance to watch my kids grow up, and to live a life full of love and laughter.”

From the first notice from 23 & Me to her final reconstruction procedure, Freeman says comedian and author Caitlin Brodnick, who has the BRCA 1 gene, served as an inspiration and helped her feel like she wasn’t alone.

“Having this gene has taken so much from me, and, at first, I felt like I shouldn’t feel this way because I don’t have cancer,” she said. “I also was in a dark place right before my hysterectomy because not only were my natural breasts gone, but I was going to soon lose my ability to have children.

“I knew I needed something big to bring me out of my funk and to aid in my recovery,” she said. “Our sweet golden retriever, Peaches, did just that. We have two sons, so I wanted my symbolic ‘last baby’ to be a girl. She has added so much joy to our lives, and we love her to pieces.

“There are moments when this has felt like a rollercoaster, and sometimes it’s hard to feel okay with the way things have changed,” she said. “My body will never be the same, but the one thing that keeps me grounded and moving forward is my faith in God and my family. I have and will always do everything in my power to be present for as many years as I can. I believe the Lord puts us through certain things to help others, and I am hoping that my story will inspire at least one person to get tested.”