An Arizona mother let the world into her operating room on Wednesday as she underwent a double mastectomy - the same operation Angelina Jolie had in February to reduce her chances of developing breast cancer.
Using Twitter, Melissa Ray's doctors in San Antonio, Texas, live tweeted each step of the preventative procedure, in a bid to shine a light on the subject for Breast Cancer Awareness month.
The mother of two small children deemed the daunting operation, where both breasts are removed, necessary given her family history of breast cancer and after testing positive to the BRCA gene.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
Pre-op: Melissa Ray, left, chats to Dr. Chrysopoulo ahead of her surgery in a picture that was tweeted by the hospital for Breast Cancer Awareness week
Doctors Minas Chrysopoulo and Steven Pisano of PRMA Plastic Surgery, which 'specializes in advanced breast reconstruction after breast cancer,' teamed up for Ray's surgery.
Their every move was described on Twitter, sometimes with photographs, along with facts about the cancer-causing BRCA mutation and DIEP flap, the type of breast reconstruction Ray had chosen.
One of the first tweets showed a photograph of Ray pre-op, discussing 'her decision to have a mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer by 98 per cent.'
Surgery: Doctors Minas Chrysopoulo and Steven Pisano of PRMA Plastic Surgery, which 'specializes in advanced breast reconstruction after breast cancer,' teamed up for Ray's surgery
Underway: Using Twitter, Melissa Ray's doctors in San Antonio, Texas, live tweeted each step of the preventative procedure, pictured
She tested positive for the gene two years ago and traveled to Methodist Hospital for the treatment, which involved building new breasts using skin and fat from her abdomen rather than using implants.
Ray's mother tragically died of breast cancer, and she decided later discovered she had a very high risk of developing it herself.
Chrysopoulo said Ray researched her options and decided to 'take the bull by the horns' and undergo the preventative procedure, thinking of her kids.
The doctor applauded her for allowing her surgery to be live-tweeted.
'It was very brave of her,' he told mysanantonio.com news website, 'and can prove helpful to other women who are trying to make a decision.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2443352/Melissa-Ray-surgery-Mother-39-cancer-gene-Angelina-Jolie-allows-double-mastectomy-surgery-live-tweeted-help-inform-women-considering-same.html#ixzz2giU8w0Zm
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
