While most contestants plan to tour the world and work toward raising AIDS awareness, Miss America contestant Allyn Rose has made a brave and unlikely choice. Rose plans to get a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer after the pageant. The contest is to be held Jan. 12, 2013.

Miss DC announced that she would remove both her breasts to lower the chances of her getting breast cancer which killed her mother, grandmother as well as her aunts.

"My mom would have given up every part of her body to be here for me, to watch me in the pageant," The Associated Press quoted her saying. "If there's something that I can do to be proactive, it might hurt my body, it might hurt my physical beauty, but I'm going to be alive."

It was Rose's father who first planted the idea of a mastectomy in her head. Initially she was not very keen about it.

"'I said, 'Dad I'm not going to do that. I like the body I have.' He got serious and said, 'Well then you're going to end up dead like your mom,'" she added.

She later understood her father's concern and made up her mind to go ahead with the surgery.

While some people have criticized her decision calling it "bizarre" and "ridiculous", Rose sure has a few supporters too. An encouraging post on her Facebook wall reads, "So touched by your poise and your grace after the loss of your beautiful mother. It IS your body. YOUR choice. Your life. "

She also has garnered support from her Twitter followers. "@AllynRose as a son of a 6 yr breast cancer survivor and now an advocate for the cause, your story is amazing. I support you 110%. Win it," a fan posted. Another fan tweeted, "@AllynRose You're beautiful, poised & brave for taking control of your health! Hope you're crowned Miss America!"

The 24-year-old is set to compete with 52 other contestants in the pageant and along with her beauty and her brains she will also showcase her roller skating skills.