Angelina Jolie has publicly shown her mastectomy scars for the first time in a photo shoot for Time France.
“I share these scars with many women I love,” the 50-year-old Hollywood diva told the magazine. “And I'm always moved when I see other women share theirs.”
“I wanted to join them, knowing that TIME France would be sharing information about breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer," added Angelina.
In 2013, the Maleficent actress revealed that she had undergone a double mastectomy due to her genetic predisposition to cancer.
“I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy,” Angelina wrote in New York Times' op-ed piece . “But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent."
"I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer," she added.
In the new interview, the Oscar-winning actress also encouraged other women to undergo cancer screenings.
“Every woman should always be able to determine her own healthcare journey and have the information she needs to make informed choices: genetic testing and screening should be accessible and affordable for women with clear risk factors or a significant family history,” Angelina told TIME France.
“When I shared my experience in 2013, it was to encourage informed choices,” she added. “Healthcare decisions must be personal, and women must have the information and support they need to make those choices. Access to screening and care should not depend on financial resources or where someone lives."
