Life, Love, and the BRCA Mutation

Life, Love, and the BRCA Mutation

Tuesday at 12:00pm PDT

Eleven months after her mother succumbs to cancer, Jessica Queller has herself tested for the BRCA gene mutation. The results come back positive, putting her at a terrifyingly elevated risk of developing breast cancer before the age of 50 and ovarian cancer in her lifetime. Thirty-four, unattached, and yearning for marriage and a family of her own, Queller faces an agonizing choice: a lifetime of vigilant screenings and a commitment to fight the disease when caught, or its radical alternative—a prophylactic double mastectomy that would effectively restore life to her, even as it would challenge her most closely held beliefs about body image, identity, and sexuality. In conversation with AJUs Catherine Schneider and Sharsheret's Jenna Fields, Jessica offers insights from her journey and shares helpful tools on how to educate yourself, get tested, and share this lifesaving information with your loved ones.

One in 40 Ashkenazi Jews – both men and women – carries a BRCA gene mutation, nearly 10 times the rate of the general population, making Jewish families significantly more susceptible to hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Recent studies show that Sephardic Jews may also be genetically predisposed to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. If you or someone in your family has tested BRCA+, whether you have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, Sharsheret can help. 

This program is delivered in partnership with American Jewish University and Sharsheret.

Jessica Queller is the author of the acclaimed memoir Pretty is What Changes, which chronicles her journey of inheriting a BRCA1 mutation from her mother. Jessica has written Op-Ed pieces on the subject for both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Jessica has spoken about BRCA extensively on television and radio, and is a proud member of Basser Center for BRCA’s Advisory Board. Jessica is also a television writer/producer and has written for many shows that include Felicity, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, Vegas, The Carrie Diaries. Most recently, she was the showrunner for the long running CW show Supergirl. Jessica lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Bill Prady, daughter Sophie Queller, and stepson Asher Prady.  

Jenna Fields, MA, MSW, is the Chief Regional Officer of Sharsheret, the national Jewish nonprofit supporting women and families facing breast and ovarian cancer, and hereditary risk for cancer. She currently oversees Sharsheret’s regional impact and growth, targeting high-risk Jewish communities round the country. Over the past 7 years she has led hundreds of educational programs across the West Coast in partnership raising awareness within the Jewish and greater community about breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and hereditary cancers. She graduated in 2010 from the School of Social Work at the University of Southern California and School of Jewish Nonprofit Management at Hebrew Union College. She holds a BA in Psychology from George Washington University. She lives in LA with her husband and two daughters

Catherine Schneider is a seasoned fundraising and nonprofit professional, with over twenty years of experience transforming organizations through development, stewardship, and community relations. Ms. Schneider was previously the Executive Vice President, Donor Experience at The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. During her tenure at The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Schneider also held the positions of Associate Chief Development Officer and Senior Vice President, External Affairs and Community Engagement. Prior to her time at the Federation, she held leadership and development roles at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Progressive Jewish Alliance, and Beit T’Shuvah. Ms. Schneider holds an MBA in Nonprofit Management from the Graduate School of Nonprofit Management at American Jewish University, and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley.