Hereditary Cancer is Preventable

 

Downplaying the risk does not make it any less of a threat to those who may be at risk. 

Germline genetic testing is NOT done on every cancer patient. Nobody knows for sure what the true percentage is. The ONLY message that matters is that hereditary cancer is preventable. That’s why I created this graphic and gave it to CGA IGC to use.

Hereditary Cancer is Preventable, Dammit!

A final thought as National Hereditary Cancer Week draws to a close.

 

Previvor Day

It's Previvor Day. I should have two previvors instead of just one in my family celebrating the day. Nobody should die of a preventable cancer. That’s why I’m a hereditary cancer awareness and prevention advocate.

To learn more about what it means to be a previvor, go to genetionary.org/previvor.html

DNA, Genes, Genetic Mutations, & Hereditary Cancer Simplified

 

Since becoming an advocate, I have encountered far too many people who don’t seem to have a clue about DNA, genes, genetic mutations, and hereditary cancer. Tragically, I'm a hereditary cancer widower because people who should have had a clue (my late wife's relatives and her doctors) didn't have one.

As juvenile as this may appear, it’s actually for grown-ups. I have found in my decades of professional illustrating that the simpler you make the subject when first presenting it the better, no matter the age of your audience.

This is National Hereditary Cancer Week. Let’s start with the basics to get people talking and thinking. Hereditary cancer is preventable!

A PDF booklet of this story can be download at www.genetionary.org/genes

 

 

Hereditary Cancer Week Poster

 

National Hereditary Cancer Week starts today. As an advocate and parent of a previvor, my personal message for the week: Hereditary cancer is preventable. Let's change the way we talk about hereditary cancer.

Hereditary Cancer is Preventable

Hereditary cancer risk is not an individual issue, it can involve half the family tree. Hundreds of thousands of cancer cases could be prevented and thousands of lives saved every year if we just changed the way we think and talk about hereditary cancer.

National Hereditary Cancer Week begins this coming Sunday. Do you know the health history of your family tree? Hereditary cancer is preventable.

A sidenote: Angelina Jolie is said to be a Filles du Roi descendant on her maternal side. Angelina has a BRCA1 mutation. Her mother, who died of ovarian cancer, was of French-Canadian descent.

 

Puking on the Mayflower

The Mayflower/Thanksgiving thing feels kind of awkward for me with all the books, websites, merchandising, and total BS about some of my ancestors. And then I also have Native American ancestors on my father’s side (DNA-yes, exact tribe-it’s complicated). Thanksgiving is a mixed bag at my house.

Many of the Pilgrims did not survive that first year at Plymouth. I’m thankful Resolved did survive; otherwise (duh), I would not exist. My 9th great-grandfather did not. But my 9th great-grandmother did and likely helped prepare the first Thanksgiving dinner.

Obviously, I don’t have total reverence for my heritage. While I do have some decent notable ancestors and genetic cousins – adventurers, writers, artists – from the history books, some of my genetic relatives were just plain as…, er, not great humans.

Go to www.MARKiX.net/mayflower to read some truths about the Mayflower voyage.

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Postscript. Something to contemplate: Many famous people (Clint Eastwood, Sally Field, John Lithgow, Noah Webster, and others) are descendants of William Bradford and his second wife. They would not exist if my cousin, Dorothy (May) Bradford, had not died. Dorothy "fell" off the Mayflower and drowned in the icy waters while the ship was anchored off Cape Cod Harbor.