The Seattle Times
Mary-Claire King and Tana Senn
April 12, 2017
OUR friend Julie died of ovarian cancer several years ago. In her wake she left family and friends heartbroken, but also angry, because her death was completely unnecessary.
While Julie beat breast cancer in her thirties, she decided to forgo genetic testing despite a familial history of breast and ovarian cancer. While genetic testing was fairly new, it was her fear of losing her job or insurance that drove her decision. With a special-needs child at home, the risk of losing insurance was worse than the risk of a second cancer.