Gwen McQueen and Mhairi Scott never knew their grandmother she died before they were even born.
As teenagers they faced the loss of their beloved mum together.
Two years later they were heartbroken once more when their aunt died.
Ovarian cancer had stolen them all.
That led to Gwen, who lives in Dunfermline, and Mhairi, 39, of Lochgelly, being tested for the faulty gene BRCA1, which is known to trigger breast and ovarian cancer.
Both women tested positive and so agreed to have a double mastectomy and their ovaries removed.
For Gwen, 41, who was told she had an 80% risk of developing cancer, the choice was straightforward.
“The surgery was a small price to pay for my life,” she said simply. “It wasn’t bravery I knew right away. And Mhairi was the same. We were going to do it.”
Like any doting mother, Gwen wants to give her eight-year-old daughter, Sophie, the world but the greatest gift of all is to be able to just be there with her.
“The most important thing of all is that I’m around to see my beautiful daughter grow up.
“I went through major operations but they actually set me free. They gave me a healthy future, a future which my own mum, auntie and grandma very sadly didn’t get because of cancer,” she said.
Mother Etta Stewart was diagnosed in January 1991 and died months later aged 50.
For the family it felt like history was cruelly repeating itself, as in 1966 grandmother Euphemia Robinson had also died aged 50 from ovarian cancer.
Etta’s sister, June Steadman, died from the disease in 1993 aged just 42.
Gwen said: “After mum was diagnosed with cancer, she died very quickly. She was too young to die and I still miss her every day. We realised that so many generations of strong women in our family had lived and died with this faulty gene that back then scientists didn’t know anything about.
“But my sister and I were among the first generation of women who could actually do something about it. I don’t consider myself brave or special, but merely see it as a privilege that my sisterand I were offered the testing, so had the opportunity to prevent this awful disease.
“I’m lucky that I’ve had a wonderful sister to go through all of this with and there’s been more laughter than tears along the way.”
Thankfully there is also a far sweeter family tradition which has also been handed down Gwen inherited a passion for baking from her mother and runs her own handmade sweet company, Heavenly Goodies, with her cousin Helen Paterson.
Some of her happiest memories as a wee girl are of baking treats like her mother’s famous shortbread and she still treasures a handwritten recipe book which her mother always used.
Despite all they have endured the sisters see their story as a positive one.
“We are of the first generation able to be tested and be able to do something about it.
“It was major surgery but, with advances, who knows what will come next.”Relay for LifeGwen is now trying to raise cash for Cancer Research UK to help fund new work on faulty genes and testing.
She has signed up for the Relay for Life at Dalgety Bay Sports and Leisure Centre on June 21 and hopes others will join her for the team event.
“The Relay for Life is such an emotional and uplifting event,” she said. “I loved every second of being part of it last year and everything my mum went through will be on my mind when I return to the Relay for Life.”
Passionate about supporting the charity, she will be raffling a giant hamper of handmade chocolates and sweets to raise money for the charity.
More than £67,000 was raised at last year’s event and entries are still open for teams of between eight and 15 people.
To enter Relay for Life visit www.cruk.org/relay or call 0871 641 2602.