Congresswoman kept her breast cancer a secret

[Behind the Aegis]

WASHINGTON — When U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz steps to the lectern at the Capitol Monday to push for greater awareness of the risk of breast cancer in younger women, she'll be speaking from experience.

Wasserman Schultz, 42, a mother of three from Broward County, Fla., said Saturday that she successfully battled breast cancer for the past year — and is going public with her story in hopes of alerting young women to its prevalence. She'll introduce legislation Monday that calls for a national media and education campaign targeted to women between 15 and 39.

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Wasserman Schultz discovered a lump in her breast through a self exam, two months after her first mammogram at 40. Though the cancer was detected at an early stage, she also learned that as an Ashkenazi Jew, she was at a greater risk of having the cancer recur in healthy breast tissue, prompting her to have both breasts removed. She was also at increased risk of ovarian cancer and had her ovaries removed -- the day after election day. Her final surgery was in December -- almost a year to the date of her diagnosis.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/politics/story/64550.html