Angelina Jolie was "very, very moved" by the messages she received after undergoing a double mastectomy.
The 'Maleficent' actress had both breasts removed last year after tests showed she carries the BRCA1 gene, meaning her chances of contracting breast cancer are very high, and she was overwhelmed by the support she was offered after revealing the news.
She said: "I was very, very moved by all the support and kindness from so many people."
The 38-year-old beauty - who raises six children with partner Brad Pitt - says her experiences have brought her closer to other people battling health problems as they want to share their stories with her.
Speaking to the new edition of Entertainment Weekly magazine, she said: "Wherever I go, usually I run into women and we talk about health issues, women's issues, breast cancer, ovarian cancer. I've talked to men about their daughters' and wives' health. It makes me feel closer to other people who deal with the same things and have either lost their parents or are considering surgeries or wondering about their children."
Angelina had the test because her mother Marcheline Bertrand died from ovarian cancer in 2007, and the 'Salt' star's results showed she had an 87 per cent chance of developing breast cancer and 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer. She is also believed to be planning to have her ovaries removed to reduce the cancer risk.
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