Angelina Jolie has confirmed that she had a preventive double mastectomy earlier this year.The actress and director made the decision upon finding out that she carries the BRCA1 gene, which can increase the risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.Jolie, whose mother died of cancer at the age of 56, wrote an essay for The New York Times talking about her surgery and the discussions she had with her family - including her children - and said that she had chosen to share her experiences in the hope that others might benefit when it comes to making decisions about their health."Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could,” she wrote. "I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy... 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."But 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.” Jolie revealed that following tests, her doctors estimated she had an 87% risk of developing breast cancer and 50% risk of developing ovarian cancer. She did, however, stress that the risk factors are different for each individual who carries the BRCA1 gene.She added that following the three rounds of surgery, her chances of developing breast cancer have dropped to 5%."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,” Jolie further revealed."I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer. It is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable.