DNA, Hereditary Cancer, and Sharing Your Story with the White House

As a hereditary cancer widower and a parent of a BRCA2 previvor, this is my grassroots effort to help prevent other families from losing a loved one to a cancer that could have been prevented. Please join me by sharing your hereditary cancer story with the White House and on social media on DNA Day, April 25th.  
 

 

Here is the link:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/cancermoonshot/share-your-story/

Sharing your story and any ideas will help the Cancer Moonshot focus on what will help the most in preventing cancer.

No matter what your political affiliation, please speak up. Nobody should die of a preventable cancer. Nobody!

Connecting Family Trees

 

It's fitting that genealogy should begin with “gene,” because it is genes that truly connect families. Distant genetic relatives may have more in common with you than just a shared ancestor, and that knowledge may help prevent cancer and other diseases. Finding your roots and branching out can be enlightening and sometimes life-saving.

Learn more at www.ConnectMyVariant.org

(Created for CMV as a volunteer hereditary cancer awareness and prevention advocate.)

Zebrafish, Humans, and DNA

With Earth Day (4/22) and DNA Day (4/25) both being in April, I thought I would have a little fun illustrating some natural science for grown-ups like I did professionally for children’s publications for years. And because a lot of people just don’t know peas about genetics.

Also see...

DNA Fun -- The Platypus

  

Of course, it’s far more complicated – there are differences in hox genes, proteins, etc., etc., and etc. But all life is connected, every living thing shares some DNA with every other living thing on Earth.

With Earth Day and DNA Day both being in April, I thought I would have a little fun illustrating science for grown-ups like I did professionally for children’s publications for years. And because a lot of people just don’t know peas about genetics.

Watch for more art and DNA fun over the next few weeks.

BRCA Genes Simplified

aware·ness (ə-ˈwer-nəs) noun  “Conscious knowledge.” Preventing hereditary cancer starts with awareness. Here is my second graphic in what will be a series illustrating the basics of genes and genetic mutations to hopefully help raise awareness about what can be a life-saving subject.

I want to give a big thank you and shout-out to Michelle Springer, a certified genetic counselor, for being my technical reviewer on this project.

You can download a PDF of this infographic at https://genetionary.org/brca/

Again, like my first illustration in the series, I created this infographic with a heavy heart and with the hope that this information might help spare someone a cancer diagnosis. My wife died of a hereditary cancer (TNBC) that was caused by a BRCA2 mutation. Her cancer diagnosis and untimely death could have been prevented. Unfortunately, because of medical privacy laws, information about her family’s germline mutation went unshared for years. Changing laws, no matter how outdated or adverse, can be difficult. So that has led me to use my many years of experience as a professional illustrator to try and raise awareness with my art.

How to Share Genetic Mutation Information

I believe very strongly in the Duty to Warn when there is any danger to the life of another person. And that includes sharing information about genetic mutations and potential cancer risks.

Unfortunately, there are medical privacy laws that hinder the sharing of genetic information among family members. That leaves the task to family members who might be unsure of how to approach other genetic relatives about a difficult and complex subject.

Sharing information about genetic mutations with relatives who may have inherited the same mutation and who may be at risk of cancer can be a complicated task. It is not an “Oh, by the way.” subject. It requires specific information to help relatives make informed choices and to help them to navigate an often-difficult health care system.

I became a hereditary cancer prevention advocate because those who knew about a BRCA2 mutation in my late wife’s family did not openly and honestly talk about it. Tragically, they did not share the specific information that was needed to prevent her hereditary cancer diagnosis and untimely death.

So as an advocate, I have created a page where I have assembled materials that will help with the task of sharing the most important information with those who might be at risk. Breaking the cycle of hereditary cancer in families starts with open and honest communication.

Knowledge is power!

Here is a link to the page: https://genetionary.org/gene_share/

Ending All Hereditary Cancer

ConnectMyVariant.org is an educational health-focused nonprofit organization that supports individuals and families with inherited disease, such as hereditary cancer, with early detection and prevention efforts.

It also works to increase awareness of the benefits of family outreach among physicians and others who provide preventative care, as well as those in the genealogy community.

Every month I will be sharing an image I have created as a volunteer advocate for ConnectMyVariant to help bring attention to the nonprofit's efforts to connect families and save lives.