Models Direct heard today that Angelina Jolie has undergone a double mastectomy in order to reduce her chances of developing cancer.

The 37-year-old actress, model and director went ahead with the surgery after discovering that she carries the same gene which led to her mother’s tragic, early death – Marcheline died of cancer aged just 56.

The discovery of the BRCA1 gene gave Jolie an 87 per cent chance of suffering a similar fate, something that she decided she could not risk putting her children through.

Jolie began three months of preventative surgery in February and has now been told that her chances of getting breast cancer have decreased to just 5 per cent. Meanwhile Brad Pitt described his wife as ‘absolutely heroic’, telling the Evening Standard:

“Having witnessed this decision firsthand, I find Angie’s choice, as well as so many others like her, absolutely heroic. All I want for is for her to have a long and healthy life, with myself and our children. This is a happy day for our family.”

Jolie has written an editorial piece about her decision and experience for the New York Times entitled ‘My Medical Choice’ after deciding that her story may help others. In it she says:

“My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold them in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was.

“We often speak of “Mommy’s mommy,” and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a “faulty” gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

“My doctors estimated that I had an 87 per cent risk of breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman. Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.

“I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex. On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures that the mastectomies involved. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work.

“I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy but it is one I am very happy that I made. I am fortunate to have a partner who is so loving and supportive. So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition.”

Models Direct writers hope that Jolie’s story will help others who are going through similar experiences. You can read her entire article here.