I have the BRCA gene, the hardest part was telling people cancer had struck again

Karen Dowling was fit and healthy when she was diagnosed with cancer for the second time.  Her gut feeling was confirmed when tests revealed she had the defective BRCA gene 

Karen Dowling, Kilmore, Co Clare. Pic: Brendan Gleeson

Karen Dowling was glad she was alone last December when she was told she had breast cancer.

“I got to process it by myself. I needed that hour before I told my husband,” says the 36-year-old psychotherapist from Castletroy, Co Limerick.