Episode 6: What You Need to Know About Cancer Genetics, Screening & Survivorship: Dr. Michelle's Story

This one gets personal. Dr. Michelle shares how she discovered she carries a BRCA mutation (from her dad’s side), what it meant for her 20s, and why that moment shaped her life’s work. From genetic testing and a preventive double mastectomy to building better care paths for women after cancer, this episode blends story, science, and the kind of straight-talk you wish you’d heard sooner.

In this episode, we’re talking about:

• What BRCA actually is and why you can inherit it from either parent

• How to approach genetic testing when family history is missing or complicated

• What you need to know about screening 

• Michelle’s decision-making: life insurance worries, timing kids, and choosing a preventive double mastectomy

• Why “one-size-fits-all” doesn’t exist: individualized choices vs. fear-driven advice

• Menopause after cancer: Who can (and sometimes should) consider hormones, and nuanced alternatives

• The survivorship gap: Why finishing treatment isn’t the finish line and what better support looks like

• How Michelle’s experience led to Coven Health and the Feel Powerful Menopause After Cancer program (evidence, empathy, and a real plan)

If you’ve ever felt in the dark about hereditary risk or been told to simply “tough out” menopause after cancer, this conversation is for you.