Any month is the right month to honor breast cancer research, survivors, thrivers, and previvors like me who are BRCA positive. Folks with inherited cancer risk could use a few more safe places to be heard so I was happy to interview Holly Sabo, founder of BrokenGene. Themes of previving, unbreakable nature, design, and the grace to previve flow in our discussion.
Unbreakable Nature, Design & Grace to Previve
After her risk-reducing surgeries for BRCA1, Holly Sabo designed a lovely, minimal in style interpretation of a broken gene and heart. She notes it was her way of honoring and expressing to herself, “I see you. I’m proud of you.” Her shop BrokenGene offers unique, understated jewelry pieces she designs with iconic symbols. Let’s get to it.
Holly Sabo Interview
Me: TAKE US BACK TO THAT CHAPTER YOU LEARNED YOU WERE POSITIVE THEN TOOK ACTION TO REDUCE CANCER RISK.
Holly: “Cancer was already a very real part of my family’s story long before I learned I carried the BRCA1 mutation. I lost both my mother and grandmother to ovarian cancer. So when I found out I was BRCA1 positive, it wasn’t just a medical result. It was deeply personal. I knew what cancer had taken from my family, and I had to think about what I could do to change the course of my own life. I ultimately chose to undergo a bilateral mastectomy and a hysterectomy as part of my risk-reduction journey.”
Me: WHAT CRITICAL LESSONS FROM THAT JOURNEY WOULD YOU SHARE WITH A BEST FRIEND WHO JUST TESTED POSITIVE?
“I would tell her a positive genetic test is information, not a cancer diagnosis. It gives you an opportunity to make informed decisions, and there is tremendous power in that. I would also tell her not to let fear rush her into decisions before she understands her options. Find medical professionals who truly understand hereditary cancer risk. Ask every question, even the ones that seem small. Seek another opinion if you need one. And understand that someone else’s decision doesn’t have to become yours. Most importantly, I would remind her that being BRCA positive is something you carry, but it doesn’t have to define who you are.”
Previvors Previve Uniquely
Me: ONE OF THE REASONS I CHOSE BREAST RECONSTRUCTION AFTER MY PROPHYLACTIC BILATERAL MASTECTOMY (PBM) IN 2013 WAS A DESIRE TO MINIMIZE VISUAL REMINDERS OF MY MUTATION. BUT I MIGHT CHOOSE DIFFERENTLY TODAY. IT’S CURIOUS. WE PREVIVORS ARE A DIVERSE CREW AND DON’T PREVIVE IN A SINGULAR WAY. WE MAKE MEDICAL DECISIONS AT VARIOUS LIFE STAGES AND WITH DIFFERENT VALUE SYSTEMS.
Holly: “I love that you brought this up, because I think it’s such an important conversation.There is no single way to be a previvor, and I don’t believe there should be. Some women choose reconstruction, some choose to remain flat, and others make different decisions based on their age, health, family circumstances, or what feels right for them.”
The Heart of the Matter Beyond Identity
Me: CAN YOU DISCUSS YOUR CALLING TO CREATE VISUAL SYMBOLS OF A BROKEN GENE TO HONOR THE PREVIVOR JOURNEY?
Holly: “For me, the idea behind BrokenGene came from wanting to create something that acknowledged what I had been through without allowing it to become my entire identity. The design is a broken gene with a small heart at the break, bringing the two sides together. That heart is intentional. It represents the humanity behind the science, the emotion behind the medical decisions, and the strength that often goes unseen.
I didn’t want to create something that looked clinical or that immediately identified someone as having a genetic mutation. I wanted something beautiful that a woman would choose to wear because she genuinely loved it, with a deeper meaning that was hers to share or keep private.
And while BrokenGene began with my BRCA1 story, it has grown into something more inclusive. Today, I want the jewelry to resonate with anyone navigating a meaningful chapter in life, or even someone who simply loves the piece. The meaning doesn’t have to be the same for everyone, and that’s part of what makes it special.”
Elegant Simplicity
Me: THERE’S A SOPHISTICATED SIMPLICITY TO YOUR DESIGNS. HOW DO THEY REFLECT WHAT YOU CHERISH, HONOR AND SEEK TO PROTECT?
Holly: “I’ve always believed that something doesn’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful. Sometimes the smallest details carry the greatest significance. With The Original collection, I wanted the broken gene and the little heart to be recognizable, but also elegant and understated. I wanted someone to see a beautiful piece of jewelry first and then, if they chose, discover the story behind it.
That reflects how I see life. We all carry experiences that aren’t visible to the people around us. Some are joyful, some are painful, and some change us forever. But those experiences don’t have to be announced to be meaningful.
What I cherish most is the opportunity to live my life on my own terms. I honor the women in my family who didn’t have the same opportunities for genetic testing and preventive care that I did. And what I seek to protect is not only my health, but the freedom to create a future that is truly my own.”
Broken Into Beautiful
Me: THAT PARADOX OF BROKEN YET UNBREAKABLE SEEMS DEAR TO YOU. WHAT IS IT THAT REMAINS UNBREAKABLE?
Holly: “For me, what remains unbreakable is the person you are at your core. Our bodies change. Our circumstances change. Sometimes life takes things from us that we never imagined losing. But there is something within us that those experiences cannot take away. I think about my mother and grandmother, and the impact their lives continue to have on mine. They are no longer here, but their influence, their love, and the connection I feel to them remain.
I also think strength is often misunderstood. We tend to associate it with being fearless or never falling apart. You can be afraid, uncertain, or grieving and still be incredibly strong. That’s what the BrokenGene symbol means to me. The gene has a break, but a small heart rests at its center, bringing the two sides back together. To me, it’s a reminder that even when life changes us, love and strength have a remarkable way of holding us together. The break is part of the story, but it doesn’t define the whole.”
The Impulse to Create
Me: THE CREATIVE LIFE IS SUCH A RICH, MEANINGFUL, JOYFUL WAY TO BE HERE AND MOVE THROUGH JOY AND SUFFERING. HOW DOES CREATIVITY ENRICH YOUR BUSINESS AND MISSION?
Holly: “Creativity has brought an entirely different kind of joy into my life, one that I didn’t necessarily expect. I’ve spent much of my professional career in healthcare leadership and operations. It’s work that requires structure, problem-solving, and responsibility. Building BrokenGene has allowed me to explore a completely different side of myself.
One of the most exciting parts has been expanding beyond The Original collection to create Made Mine, our everyday jewelry line. Each necklace features its own pendant paired with The Mini, a tiny version of our signature BrokenGene charm. The pendant is what catches your eye. The Mini is what makes it BrokenGene.
That evolution has been important to me because I never wanted the brand to be limited to cancer or genetic mutations. Those experiences will always be part of our foundation, but I want BrokenGene to be a jewelry brand that people are drawn to for its beauty, individuality, and style.
Creativity has given me the freedom to build something that is both meaningful and joyful. And I love the idea that something born from a difficult chapter in my life can become a source of happiness for someone else.”
BRCA & Previvor Resources
Me: YES!!! WHAT BRCA OR PREVIVOR COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN HELPFUL ON YOUR JOURNEY?
Holly: “When I think about what helped me through my own BRCA1 journey and recovery, I have to start with my family.
My husband and my sister were an important part of my support system, and I can’t leave out my cat! There’s something incredibly comforting about having the people, and pets, you love around you during difficult times. I have a tremendous appreciation for organizations that provide education, resources, advocacy, and community for people facing hereditary cancer risks and cancer diagnoses.
Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered) is particularly meaningful because of its focus on hereditary cancer. I’ve also come to appreciate the work of the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation, Young Survival Coalition, and Twisted Pink. Each of these organizations contributes to the cancer community in meaningful ways, whether through education, advocacy, research, resources, or bringing people together. One of the most important things these communities offer is the understanding that there isn’t one right way to navigate a cancer diagnosis, a genetic mutation, or preventive surgery.
Through BrokenGene, I hope to contribute to that sense of connection in my own way. The brand began with my personal BRCA1 journey, but its message has grown to celebrate the many different chapters that shape our lives.”
Keep an Eye on Your Shadow
Me: My heart is moved by the beauty of Holly’s heart and her impulse to birth symbols of courage, strength, and love for others. These symbols we see from BrokenGene echo themes of nature, paradox, and transcendence on the previvor journey. The design led me to contemplate brokenness and allow the loveliness of its essence to teach me right where I am. Fear and old patterns may delay entry into shadow so I spent a little time there. Broken. It’s powerful. Something loosens in the soul; salty tears come. I want to be teachable and humbly grow…don’t you? There’s a preciousness radiating from broken things. From a broken heart like mine. Thank you, Holly, for shining this light into our world.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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