Breast cancer with BRCA1 mutation❗The disease changed Dominika's body and her plans for the future❗

This story did not begin in a single day.

The first tumor was detected in May 2022, when Dominika was 32 years old. A few days later, a biopsy confirmed that it was malignant.

The surgery to remove the tumor and sentinel node took place in June. In August, it was necessary to perform another incision. When the need for another surgery arose, Dominika decided to undergo genetic testing. The result revealed another truth: a mutation in the BRCA1 gene.

In October 2022, she underwent a left-sided mastectomy with reconstruction. Two years later, when lumps began to appear in her right breast, the decision was made to remove it preventively. The body , which had previously simply functioned, began to require further decisions and procedures.

This is not the end of the story.

Dominika is still undergoing hormone therapy. She takes medication every day and receives a monthly injection that induces artificial menopause. The presence of the BRCA1 mutation is associated with a risk of recurrence, so removal of the ovaries is also planned.

Treatment and hormone therapy have numerous side effects: hot flashes, bone and joint pain, weight gain, skin problems, allergies, concentration disorders, and so-called brain fog. This is accompanied by chronic fatigue, pain in the operated areas, and numbness in the hands. The drugs also affected cholesterol levels, requiring additional therapy.

Liver nodules that are enlarging are kept under constant surveillance.

The burden of treatment and its consequences made it necessary to also provide mental health care. For over a year, Dominika has been struggling with depression requiring pharmacological treatment.

Between caring for yourself and caring for others

Dominika lives in Krakow with her partner, whom she can count on in everyday life, which can sometimes be difficult to bear. Two years after her breast cancer diagnosis, her mother also fell ill. Being sick and at the same time accompanying a loved one through illness is an experience that cannot be prepared for or come to terms with.

Dominika's three sisters also have the BRCA1 mutation. Thanks to her determination, they have undergone testing and know what medical decisions await them in the future.

Ordinary things are no longer ordinary

Dominika has not been working for a year. Numerous doctor's visits, treatment, depression, and caring for her mother have made it extremely difficult for her to return to the job market. At the same time, she tries to remain present in her roles as a partner, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. Relationships are a space she protects and nurtures, despite the limitations imposed by her illness.

Her dwindling savings and a ruling that she has a mild disability present her with further challenges.

Learning to live again

The biggest challenge is not a single stage of treatment. It is learning to live with a body that has limitations and with a reality in which the disease affects professional, financial, and social opportunities. It is a process that requires patience, courage, and acceptance of one's own sensitivity.

Stop what is disappearing

Dominika takes photographs. She says that her illness forced her to stop and notice things that she had previously overlooked. Seeing beauty in small moments, she tries to capture them in her photos, as if she wanted to save the world from disappearing. She also loves objects with history. Antiques remind her that time not only takes away, but also gives meaning.