Christina Applegate’s Amazing Journey from Breast Cancer to Motherhood

Two years after fighting off breast cancer, Christina Applegate gave birth to Sadie Grace LeNoble on Jan. 27, 2011. According to her publicist, the 39-year-old first-time mother and Emmy-nominee is doing well and in high spirits. Her fiancée, Martyn LeNoble, proudly posted news about the baby on his blog, saying that Sadie Grace is the most beautiful baby in the world.

Christina’s personal journey to motherhood is an inspiring story. She has a family history of breast cancer and tested positive for the BRCA1 gene. The BRCA1 gene is responsible for most cases of recurring breast cancers. At age 36 and at the peak of her career, Christina discovered that she had breast cancer. Like most women, Christina did not want to lose her natural breasts so she tried to avoid the dreaded mastectomy. After two lumpectomies, however, Christina decided to undergo double mastectomy in 2008.

Going through double mastectomy to prevent her breast cancer from recurring was a tough decision for Christina, but she did it anyway. According to her, the double mastectomy was the only logical solution to keep the cancer from coming back and the prospect of getting her boobs back through breast reconstruction surgery helped her make up her mind. After the double mastectomy, she underwent breast reconstruction surgery and came out of the ordeal lovelier than ever. During her 2008 interview with Good Morning America, she proudly said that she is 100% cancer free and that breast reconstruction made her feel more feminine than ever.