Former EastEnders actress Kara Tointon has revealed she’s undergone two major preventative surgeries after learning she carries the BRCA gene mutation — the same gene linked to a significantly higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
The 41-year-old mother of two shared her deeply personal journey as part of the Eve Appeal’s Get Lippy Month, explaining that the discovery came while her mother was battling ovarian cancer — a battle she sadly lost in 2018.
“I was asked to take a genetics test back when Mum was undergoing treatment,” Kara said. “It was confirmed that both she and I carry the BRCA gene.”
During her first pregnancy, Kara knew she wanted more children. But after completing her family with the birth of her second son, she made the decision to undergo a double mastectomy and have her fallopian tubes removed as a preventative measure.
Kara, who shares sons Frey (5) and Helly (3) with her fiancé Marius Jenson, said she didn’t take the decision lightly — but after years of intense medical surveillance, MRIs, and biopsies, she ultimately felt surgery was the right path.
“The waiting, the constant uncertainty — it becomes emotionally draining,” she shared. “Now, with hindsight, I can say it was absolutely the right choice for me and my family.”
Kara joins a growing number of women, including Michelle Heaton and Angelina Jolie, who’ve undergone similar procedures after learning they were BRCA carriers.
