Woman with a family history of cancer says, “I have no interest in having this disease catch me.”

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – You can get genetic testing done to see if you carry a gene that causes cancer.

Jody Martin-McCoy got tested at the Peyton Anderson Cancer Center of Navicent Health.

“I have no interest in having this disease catch me. I’m going to fight it tooth and nail with every ounce of energy that I have,” Martin-McCoy.

Martin-McCoy is a previvor of cancer.

“That means that I have a gene mutation. The BRAC2 is one of the breast cancer genes and it deals with chromosomes and the mutation on those chromosomes makes me at a higher risk for several different cancers relating to breast cancer and other female cancers.”

Martin-McCoy’s mother passed away with pancreatic cancer in 2014, but she was diagnosed with a total of five different types of cancers. This motivated Martin-McCoy to get genetic testing.

She found out that she had a mutated gene. This means her gene was different from the rest, affecting her DNA.

A mutated gene can be passed down from family or the gene can change on its own.

When Martin-McCoy found out she had a mutated gene, she changed her diet, and she also chose to get her ovaries removed to help prevent cancer from developing.

“If ovaries at my age are going to do nothing, but cause me grief, then I’m done with them. Okay, I have my child,” Martin-McCoy said.

A Genetic Counselor at the Peyton Anderson Cancer Center helped Martin-McCoy through her genetic testing journey.

Darcy Berry said she loves her job.

“I think there’s probably no better job in the world then preventing cancer. If we can catch it earlier and give somebody back a mother, daughter or brother, I love it, ” Berry said.

Martin-McCoy said she’s a firm believer in having her medical team check her regularly for any type of cancer.

“If I had not gotten tested and I chose to not face this, then I’m not giving my son a choice.I’m not giving my grand-babies a choice. And my thing is that knowledge is power, but it’s only power if you share it,” she said.

So she chooses to spread the message, that genetic testing helped she and her family.

You can get genetic testing done at the Peyton Anderson Cancer Center, just make sure you check with your primary doctor first.