Angelina Jolie's father Jon Voight only learned about daughter's double mastectomy online... despite seeing her just TWO days ago

By lekan james.....

ngelina Jolie made a very brave move as she revealed she recently underwent a preventative double mastectomy.
And one person who learned about the surgery on the internet along with the rest of the world was the actress' father Jon Voight.
Voight, who reconciled with Jolie after a 10 year feud in 2011 praised his 'extraordinary' daughter but was understandably surprised - especially as he had seen Angelina just one day before her announcement in the New York Times.
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In the dark: Jon Voight has revealed that he only found out about daughter Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy online. They are seen here together in 2001

'My love and admiration for my daughter can't be explained in words,' the actor told the New York Daily News. 'I saw her two days ago with my son Jamie. We all got together for his birthday, with her and Brad [Pitt]. But I didn't know. It wasn't obvious at all.
'I found out [Tuesday] morning. I was as surprised as anyone and deeply moved by the way she’s handled this. She’s a very extraordinary person, the way she examined it and what she shared.'
Angelina made the decision to have the surgery after learning she is a carrier of the BRCA1 gene and had an 87 per cent chance of contracting breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of getting ovarian cancer.

Keeping quiet: Jon has said he saw the actress just one day before she published her story in the New York Times

Catching up: The actor added that he spoke to his daughter on Tuesday and she explained the procedures to him

The Salt star continued working throughout three months of procedures and kept them a secret from everyone other than her fiance Brad, who was seen leaving a Hollywood studio on Tuesday, and their six children.
But Jon, 74, says he 'absolutely' respects Angelina's choice to keep her decision from him for that time.
'I completely understand,' he explained. 'I want the focus to be on the inspiration.'
Jon revealed he spoke to Angelina on Tuesday and she talked him through what it all means. 'She just explained to me and educated me on this stuff,' he said.

So proud: Angelina, right, poses with her fiancé Brad Pitt and his mother Jane and father William at the Oscars in 2012; Jane has paid tribute to her daughter-in-law

Voight fell out with Jolie in 2002 when he accused her of having ‘serious mental problems’, while Jolie criticised him for having an affair behind her mother’s back.
It was Angelina's fiance Brad who eventually engineered their reconciliation and acted as a go-between.
Speaking in October 2011 Jon claimed he'd had an emotional epiphany and that he began living for his family after everything changed 'in a moment'.
'I suddenly saw things differently and everything shifted. That one moment changed my whole life,' he said. 'It gave me back my daughter and my family. Being reunited with my Angie is very precious to me. I adore my grandchildren, they are my great love. It makes me so emotional and grateful.'

Angelina's touching video tribute to her mother

Motivation: Angelina's mother Marcheline Bertrand was just 56 when she dies of cancer; tests revealed Angelina had the same faulty gene

Brad's mother Jane Pitt has also paid tribute to her soon to be daughter-in-law, even though there have long been rumours that relations between herself and Angelina are strained.
In a touching statement, Jane said she is 'proud' of the 37-year-old for having the surgery in order to ensure she is alive to watch her children grow up.

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'We're so very proud of Angie, this means so much to out family especially our grandchildren,' said Jane in a statement to People. 'We love her dearly.'
Between early February and late April Angelina completed three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts after being advised she was at a high risk of developing breast cancer.

Family matters: Angelina Jolie did her utmost to keep life as normal as possible for her and partner Brad Pitt's six children

Supportive: Angelina wrote that her fiance Brad Pitt was with her for 'every minute' of her surgeries

Having watched her mother die at the age of 56 from ovarian cancer, ten years after developing the disease, the mother-of-six was determined to ensure she had the best chance of avoiding the same fate.

Her brother James Haven also made a statement paying tribute to Angelina.

'My sister like our mother always put her children first,' he said. 'I am so grateful to be her brother.'

ANGELINA'S AGONISING THREE MONTHS

February 2nd - Angelina begins three months of treatments prior to undergoing a preventative double mastectomy, starting with a 'nipple delay, which rules out disease in the breast ducts behind the nipple and draws extra blood flow to the area'
February 16th - The actress undergoes the major surgery - an eight hour operation which sees the breast tissue removed before temporary fillers are put in place
March 26th - Angelina is pictured in the Republic of Congo with William Hague following the initial operation
April 4th - Angelina attends the Women in the World Summit in New York looking in good spirits
April 11th - Angelina is pictured with William Hague at the G8 Summit in London
April 20th - Angelina has the final operation as her breasts are reconstructed with implants
April 27th - The mother-of-six completes the medical process. She is told that the surgery was a success and her chances of contracting breast cancer have now been reduced from 87% to less than 5%
May 14th - Angelina reveals her decision in an editorial piece published in the New York Times newspaper

And Angelina's fiance Brad praised her as 'heroic' for making the decision to have aggressive surgery.

The 49-year-old is delighted Angelina - who he has been in a relationship with since 2005 - has made a full recovery from the operation and is looking forward to living a long, fruitful life with her and their children.

In a statement released to London's Evening Standard newspaper, he said: 'Having witnessed this decision first hand, I find Angie's choice, as well as so many others like her, absolutely heroic.

'I thank our medical team for their care and focus.

'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.'
For her part Angelina praised the support her fiancé and children, Maddox, 11, Pax, nine, Zahara, eight, Shiloh, six, and four-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, gave her during treatment.
'It is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable. They can see my small scars and that’s it.
'Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can.
'I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, 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. Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries.
'We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has.'

Carrying on as normal: Brad was seen leaving a Hollywood studio on Tuesday while Angelina stayed at home

Low profile: The star, whose films The Counselor and Voyage of Time are currently both in post production, was being driven in a black Escalade with tinted windows

Angelina also made sure to reassure other women that having the double mastectomy hasn't changed the way she feels about herself and her womanliness, and added that results of reconstructive surgery 'can be beautiful'.

Close: James Haven said his sister always put her children first, 'like our mother'

'On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman,' she said. 'I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.'
In addition, the brave star hopes that she can encourage other women to be informed and consider their options.
'I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience.
'Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness.
'But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.'
Although Angelina has undergone a series of life-altering operations since February, she has not let hospital appointments interfere with public engagements.
She visited the Republic of Congo on March 26 on humanitarian duties and attended the G8 summit in London on April 11 with William Hague, after her initial operations but before the all the procedures had finished.

HOW A SIMPLE BLOOD TEST IS SAVING MORE WOMEN'S LIVES THAN EVER

Many women opt for preventative surgery because the risk of breast cancer (cell, pictured) is so high if you have a faulty BRCA gene

Many women opt for preventative surgery because the risk of breast cancer (cells, pictured) is so high if you have a faulty BRCA gene

Major medical developments are enabling more women than ever to survive breast cancer and many are able to prevent it occurring in the first place.
Around 48,000 British women develop breast cancer each year and while the causes are diverse, family history and genes play the largest role in triggering the disease.
One of the greatest advances in preventative breast cancer treatment was the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes - acronyms for ‘breast cancer susceptibility gene 1’ and ‘breast cancer susceptibility gene 2’ – which were discovered in 1994 and 1995 respectively.
Testing for them became available in 1996 and they are currently the two most important genes used to predict the likelihood of a woman developing cancer. Other genes such as the TP53 and PTEN also suggest the likelihood of developing the disease, but none are as strongly linked to cancer as the BRCA genes.
Normal BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are very important in preventing tumour growth, but if one of them is faulty, there is a high likelihood that they will in fact promote tumour growth.
There is no one type of faulty BRCA gene – scientists have discovered over 100 different ways that the genes can mutate to increase the risk of a person developing cancer.
Despite publicity, faulty BRCA genes are in fact very rare and affect fewer than one in 500 people. It is also important to note that not all people who have a faulty BRCA gene will go on to develop cancer.
They do however put women at a higher risk of developing breast, ovarian and fallopian cancer in particular. Men with a faulty BRCA2 gene are also at a higher risk of developing breast cancer and, according to some studies, possibly pancreatic, testicular and prostate cancer.
The lifetime chance of a woman developing breast cancer is 10 %, but this goes up to 80% if they possess a mutated BRCA2 gene. The gene also raises the risk of developing ovarian cancer from 1.4% to up to 40%.
Women can lower their risk of developing cancer by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet and by taking regular exercise.
But even if they do lead a model lifestyle, women testing positive for a faulty BRCA gene will be unable to reduce their cancer risk to below 50%.
If a woman is diagnosed with cancer and has a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, she will usually be offered a blood test to see whether she possesses a faulty gene.
Women who do not have cancer can be offered testing if they are at a high risk of having a faulty gene, such as possessing a strong family history of the specific cancers.
If a woman tests positive, she has several options. Surgery is not always necessary and in some cases surveillance using mammograms and MRI scanning as well as taking preventative drugs are options.
But because the risk of developing a cancer is so high, many women opt for preventative surgery. Many women will choose to undergo a double mastectomy – the removal of both breasts – and sometimes an oophorectomy or removal of the ovaries.
A double mastectomy reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by up to 95%. However, even if a woman undergoes a double mastectomy, it is still important to monitor the chest in case traces of leftover breast tissue that cannot be removed become cancerous.
An oophorectomy will reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer by up to 90%.
Recent studies have shown that more women than ever are opting to have their breasts removed as a preventative measure.
Many women who undergo a double mastectomy will opt for reconstructive surgery at the same time as the removal of their real breasts. This helps psychologically – they do not wake up with a flat chest – and it can help reduce the amount of trauma inflicted on the body by doing both procedures in one operation.

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Laken-James

Angelina Jolie's father Jon Voight only learned about daughter's double mastectomy online... despite seeing her just TWO days ago