A Night at the Meryl Streep Center: Love, Danielle and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation

I was recently in Los Angeles for a LOVE, DANIELLE film screening and post-screening panel interview as part of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations series. It took place on May 6, 2026, at the Meryl Streep Center for Performing Artists in Los Angeles.

I love getting this film in front of more people!

Embed from Getty Images

Watch the panel discussion with Devin Sidell (Danielle), Jaime King (Amy), Raymond Cruz (Stan), myself (producer), and Lesley Ann Warren (Candie) below.

Photos from the evening.

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What Came Up at My 6 Month High-Risk BRCA Check Up

If you carry a BRCA mutation, preventive surgery is not the end of your screening story. It is the beginning of a lifelong protocol that many carriers are not fully informed about.

I recently had my 6 month high-risk check up and wanted to share what came up, because this is exactly the kind of information our community needs.

Vitamin D. My levels were checked and it matters more than most people realize for BRCA carriers.

Pancreatic cancer screening. This is often overlooked and not discussed enough.

Physical breast exam after mastectomy. Yes, this still happens and yes it still matters.

Advocating for yourself. Knowing what to ask for and speaking up at every appointment can make all the difference.

I made a short video below breaking all of this down. 

If this helped you, please share it with someone who needs it.

My Advocacy Started from Frustration

My advocacy started from frustration.

I help people better understand hereditary cancer and the decisions that come with it. I can’t sleep at night if I don’t.

This interview with Our Cancer Stories shares more about that work, how it started, and why it matters.

Grateful to Our Cancer Stories for the feature.

READ HERE

What’s for Dinner? Meals From My Instagram Stories

Most of what I share here is about hereditary cancer risk, genetics, and the decisions that come with it. But life s more than screenings, surgeries, and medical appointments.

Taking care of ourselves also means everyday things like hobbies, routines, and eating well. Cooking is one of the small things that helps me slow down and feel a little grounded at the end of the day.

On Instagram I often share quick “What’s for Dinner?” cooking stories. They’re usually simple, healthy meals I throw together on busy nights. Since Instagram stories disappear after 24 hours, I’m collecting them here so they’re easier to find later.

I’ll keep adding to this post as I share new ones.

Amy            

EASY PEASY MAHI TACOS

                            EASY PEASY CHICKEN POT PIE                            

     

                         SPAGHETTI SQUASH CASSEROLE                                                          with PATAGONIAN SCALLOPS                                                                                                              recipe

                                  
                        EASY CHICKEN FAJITAS                          

THROW-IT-ALL-IN PROTEIN SOUP

HALIBUT
recipe 

SMASHED BROCCOLI

recipe

Guest Post: Danielle’s Decisions and Why Previvor Choices Must Be Personal

I recently had the opportunity to write a guest post for BRCA STRONG about Danielle’s decisions in Love, Danielle and why previvor choices can never be one size fits all. These decisions are deeply personal and shaped by many things in someone’s life. I’m grateful to BRCA STRONG for creating space for this conversation.

Read the full piece here on 

BRCA STRONG: https://www.brcastrong.org/danielles-decisions-and-why-previvor-choices-must-be-personal/

I hope it resonates with anyone navigating these decisions or supporting someone who is. - Amy

HAPPY NEW YEAR

This past year has been incredibly meaningful. Participating in film festivals and having "Love, Danielle" available to watch in North America has reminded me how powerful storytelling can be in helping people feel seen, supported, and less alone when navigating hereditary cancer risk.

I am so grateful for the friendship, talent, and heart of Devin Sidell, whose stellar performance brings Danielle’s journey to life with honesty, humor, and hope.

Gratitude to everyone who has supported, watched, shared, and believed in this film’s purpose. Here’s to new beginnings, continued growth, and all the light that 2026 has to offer. - Amy

Amy Byer Shainman has spent more than a decade helping people understand the life-altering implications of genetic cancer-causing mutations. Now, she has a new outlet for everything she’s learned — a candid and grimly comedic film. 

“Love, Danielle,” available on streaming services, follows a fictional woman grappling with the discovery that, like 1 in 40 Ashkenazi Jews, she carries a BRCA1 gene mutation. It’s a darkly funny and intimate look at life as a cancer “previvor” — a portmanteau of “predisposition” and “survivor” used to describe someone who has not been diagnosed with cancer but has an increased risk of developing cancer due to an inherited genetic mutation or strong family history. READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Focus on HRT

 Why I’m Excited HRT Is Finally Getting Attention 

Author Georgia Hurst 

Georgia Hurst is a fierce patient advocate for those with Lynch syndrome.

Key Takeaways

• Early HRT initiation is crucial for women under 46 post-oophorectomy to reduce risks of heart disease, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline.
• The conversation around HRT has shifted from stigma to recognition of its essential role in women's health, especially post-surgical menopause.
• Recent research supports HRT's safety and benefits for women under 60 or within 10 years of menopause onset, enhancing quality of life.
• Increased awareness and open discussions have led to better pre-surgical counseling and support for women considering preventive surgeries.

Many fail to recognize that estrogen is necessary to help your body and its parts work in concert with each other seamlessly.  When I started writing for CURE more than 10 years ago, Read or listen to Georgia's full article HERE.

(HRT = Hormone Replacement Therapy)

'Love Danielle' film explores BRCA gene mutation impact

LOVE, DANIELLE out in North America!

Hi! I've been so busy traveling and promoting LOVE, DANIELLE on social media, that I just realized I forgot to post the film release here on my blog!        

“With LOVE, DANIELLE, we set out to tell a gripping, relatable story that not only entertains but enlightens,” said Amy Byer Shainman, Producer and BRCA Responder. “We hope it sparks conversation, encourages viewers to ask the right questions about their own health, and reminds people that being proactive can be powerful, even life-saving.” 

Read full press release HERE 

LOVE, DANIELLE now available in North America on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and other major platforms

WATCH THE OFFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER

September 16

Image from my memoir 

Resurrection Lily: The BRCA Gene, Hereditary Cancer & Lifesaving Whispers from the Grandmother I Never Knew.

Today I reflect on how lucky I am

I have access to great medical care.

I have a personality that is curious, researches, and demands 2nd and 3rd opinions.

I have intuition from Lillian, my grandmother I never knew.

I have knowledge from my sister Jan and my friend Kristin.

Knowledge that was instrumental in saving my life.

Knowledge I received only because of their cancer diagnoses and pain.

It's been 27 years today since I had potentially fatal fat and tissue removed from my brain; a brain tumor.

17 years since I had potentially fatal fat and tissue removed from my chest; my breast tissue.

17 years since I had all of my reproductive organs removed from body.

The potentially fat and tissue has been replaced with deep gratitude.

To mark September 16th every year, I get myself something 100% unnecessary and extravagant; just to remind myself,

I'm worth it.

This year, I can't do it.

As an advocate in the hereditary cancer space for 15 + years, I have a non-medical lump in my throat from a runway show. Yes, a runway show at New York Fashion Week.

I attended the AnaOno/Cancer Culture Show at NYFW and watched women with metastatic breast cancer fiercely walk the runway.

Some of them very young.

Since the show, I've felt two things: relief and being shaken to my core.

My good fortune is not lost on me.

▪️Metastatic breast cancer will at some point, cause their death.

▪️Only 2% of funding goes to MBC.

▪️116 women die everyday from metastatic breast cancer.

▪️Approximately 30% of breast cancer patients diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer will go on to develop metastatic breast cancer (stage 4).

I'm thinking of these women, their day to day life, their medications, side effects, their families; thinking of friends who are now metastatic.

This year my extravagant gift goes to them via Cancer Culture funding to MBCure.

They are all 100% necessary and worth it.

Love, Danielle: BRCA Previvor Decision-Making [Podcast]

After receiving a positive genetic test result comes the hardest part: decision-making. On All Access DNA Podcast with Kate Wilson, Devin Sidell and I discuss why we made LOVE, DANIELLE, life after risk-reducing surgeries, and the power of storytelling. LISTEN HERE!

Support Genetic Counselors — Clinicians, You Can Help

 

Unrecognized and Undervalued: Why Is Medicare Ignoring Genetic Counselors?

Help improve access to this critical form of care! Urge your organizations to sign this support letter: 

https://www.nsgc.org/POLICY/Federal-Advocacy/Bill-Letter-Signature. 

Thank you! xo- Amy

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amy Byer Shainman (@brcaresponder)

Breaking Barriers: Men's Health and Male Breast Cancer

Waiting room scene from Love, Danielle featuring Devin Sidell and Raymond Cruz

Men's Health Week begins today (June 9) and runs until June 15, 2025. Now is a great time to motivate yourself or the men you care about to prioritize regular checkups, understand their risk factors, and adopt or maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

One of my favorite scenes in "Love, Danielle" features Stan, a male BRCA gene mutation carrier, portrayed by the talented Raymond Cruz. This character stands in stark contrast to Cruz's well-known role as Tuco in "Breaking Bad."

The film shifts the conversation about men's health and male breast cancer, working to reduce the stigma associated with these topics. The character Stan challenges traditional ideas of masculinity and encourages open discussions about men's health screenings. By presenting Stan as a relatable figure, the film humanizes the experience of male breast cancer and emphasizes that breast cancer affects men as well.

To learn more about male breast cancer and the implications of BRCA and hereditary cancer in men by visiting HIS Breast Cancer Awareness.

Love, Danielle is currently playing film festivals across the country. 
Click here for a list of upcoming screenings. 

2025 Film Screenings - LOVE, DANIELLE

LOVE, DANIELLE

Amid family drama and dysfunction, a woman who carries a BRCA gene mutation must decide whether or not to remove her breasts and ovaries to reduce her cancer risk. 

Upcoming Screenings

CONNECTICUT - Mystic Film Festival - Friday, October 3rd @ 2:30pm at United Theatre. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

CALIFORNIA (Los Angeles) - Awareness Film Festival - Saturday, October 25th @ 7pm at Illusion Magic Lounge in Santa Monica. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

Past Screenings

MASSACHUSETTS - Woods Hole Film Festival - Tuesday, July 29th @ 8 PM PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

NEBRASKA - Omaha Film Festival - Sunday, March 16 @ 11:45 AM at Aksarben Cinema. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

MARYLAND - Annapolis Film Festival - Saturday, March 29 @ 10:00am at Maryland Hall Bowen. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

NEW JERSEY - Garden State Film Festival - Sunday, March 30 @ 11:45 AM at Berkeley Kingsley. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

ARIZONA - Phoenix Film Festival - Friday, April 4 @ 4:10pm at Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatre. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

ARIZONA - Phoenix Film Festival - Saturday, April 5 @ 5:35pm at Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatre. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

ARIZONA - Phoenix Film Festival - Sunday, April 6 @ 11:55am at Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatre. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

IOWA - Julien Dubuque Film Festival - Thursday, April 24 @10:30am [FREE} Phoenix Theatre 1. RESERVE SPOT HERE.

TEXAS (Dallas) - USA Film Festival - Saturday, April 26 @ 4pm [FREE] at Angelika Film Center & Café.  RESERVE SPOT HERE.

IOWA - Julien Dubuque Film Festival - Sunday, April 27 @ 5:30pm Phoenix Theatre 1. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

TEXAS (Houston) - WorldFest Houston Film Festival - Saturday, May 3 @ 6:30pm at Cinemark Memorial City.  PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.┅

NEVADA  (Las Vegas) - Nevada Women’s Film Festival - Sunday, June 22nd @ 4:50pm at UNLV. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

ARKANSAS - June 2025

WATCH THE TRAILER! 

Lynch Syndrome Awareness Day - Georgia Hurst

 On this Lynch Syndrome Awareness Day, March 22nd, I'm happy to share that the fiercest LS advocate, Georgia Hurst, has returned on Substack! Stay updated on Lynch Syndrome News by following Georgia's latest insights and updates here: https://lynchsyndromenews.substack.com/

NEW RESOURCE

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) has released a new resource aimed at helping individuals understand genetic testing and counseling for hereditary cancers. This patient-friendly guide provides essential information on identifying genetic mutations that increase cancer risk and details the latest recommendations from experts in the field of cancer genetics. 

LINK: https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/genetics-patient.pdf

BRCA 1 and BRCA 2  SPECIFIC

END OF YEAR NEWSLETTER 2024

 

END OF YEAR NEWSLETTER
https://conta.cc/4iRYoF0

National Family Health History Day - November 28th

Gather and share details about any health conditions that may run in your family. Knowing this information can help you identify potential risks for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, giving you and your doctor a chance to plan for early screenings or preventive measures. 

The Inherited Cancer Registry (ICARE) has amazing resources!

↪️ Download a helpful handout: https://lnkd.in/gC4cZ9Sv

↪️ If you've had genetic testing, use our resources to share results: https://lnkd.in/gAukjpUk

↪️ If you've already had genetic testing for inherited cancer and want more information about your results OR want information and guidance before getting tested, we provide free education and an inherited cancer risk assessment through our Tool for Inherited Cancer Predisposition Counseling and Testing Study (TIPS): https://redcap.link/TIPS

↪️ Find a certified genetics professional near you: https://lnkd.in/eA7d8HUw