Cancer diagnosis

In 2013, Angelina Jolie made the difficult decision to undergo a double mastectomy after learning she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation, which gave her an 87 per cent risk of developing breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer.

Having lost her mother, grandmother, and aunt to cancer, Jolie chose a proactive approach to protect her health.

In 2015, Jolie also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed after early signs of ovarian cancer were detected.

Reflecting on the experience, she shared: "I went through what I imagine thousands of other women have felt. I told myself to stay calm, to be strong, and that I had no reason to think I wouldn’t live to see my children grow up and to meet my grandchildren.

"The beautiful thing about such moments in life is that there is so much clarity. You know what you live for and what matters. It is polarizing, and it is peaceful."