Angelina Jolie's Aunt Debbie Dies from Breast Cancer at 61

A few weeks after Angelina Jolie announced she made the courageous decision to undergo a double mastectomy to lower her risk for breast cancer, the actress's aunt Debbie died from breast cancer on Sunday in California.

Jolie's uncle Ron Martin told E! News, "Angelina has been in touch throughout the week and her brother Jamie has been with us, giving his support day by day. They both loved Debbie very much and although Angie is not able to come right now she has sent her love and support which was very nice."

Martin also mentioned he was proud of Jolie for having the preventative surgery and doing "everything she can to keep her family from having to go through what we went through."

New technological developments in the genetics of cancer have allowed people to get tested for certain genes that indicate a much higher risk of cancer. Jolie made a wise choice after having tested positive for one of those genes, BRCA1, which highly increased her risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Jolie's uncle said his wife Debbie also had the gene, but had not known about it until she was diagnosed in 2004. "Had we known, we certainly would have done exactly what Angelina did."