Former EastEnders actress Kara Tointon has opened up about her health and recovery following a major preventative surgery. The 42-year-old star, best known for playing Dawn Swann in the BBC soap, underwent a double mastectomy and had her fallopian tubes removed after discovering she carries a faulty BRCA gene.
A Preventative Decision Driven by Family History
The mother-of-two made the difficult choice to have the operations after testing positive for the deadly BRCA gene mutation. This discovery came following the tragic loss of her mother, Carol, to ovarian cancer in 2019. Kara revealed that her mother had always believed she would die from cancer, a fear compounded by generational trauma and a history of the disease among the women in her family.
Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Kara explained her reasoning. "For me to be given the opportunity to make the choice and see what it's done to my family, it was a no-brainer for me," she said. "I've had a lucky shot. Everyone has the BRCA gene, but some people have the gene that's faulty, and it's a 50 percent chance that it is passed down."
Navigating the Process with Family Support
Kara disclosed that the hardest part of the process was making the initial phone call to schedule her first appointment. "I couldn't talk about it at the time because it is a big deal I suppose," she admitted. She underwent the double mastectomy in May of last year, announcing the news to her followers on Instagram as a preventative measure against breast and ovarian cancer.
Her sister, Hollyoaks actress Hannah Tointon, provided crucial support, even though she tested negative for the faulty gene. "My sister hasn't got it, but I have," Kara shared. "My sister was so upset she didn't have it... she wanted us to go through it together, but we have gone through it together, because she held my hand every step of the way."
Looking Forward with Gratitude and Empowerment
Now in recovery, Kara feels grateful for the modern medical knowledge that allowed her to make an informed choice. She described living in a time where we can become aware of personal genetics as a form of luck, even when the knowledge is daunting.
Her message to others facing similar fears is one of empowerment. "Don't be scared, facing things actually is empowering," she advised viewers. Kara firmly believes the surgeries were the right decision for me and my family, offering her a chance to alter a potential future dictated by her genetic inheritance.
* The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call them on 0808 808 0000.
