8/7/25

RNA is Life!

 Graphic of cover of book, “Do You Know Peas About DNA?” And the text: Packed in with your DNA is RNA, or ribonucleic acid, a small molecule essential for all life. It works with DNA to produce proteins and other important tasks. There are several different types—mRNA, miRNA, rRNA, ctRNA, and others—all with different functions. It sort of looks like DNA cut in half. Learn more about deoxyribonucleic acid and other fun stuff when you download this free educational activity booklet PDF. For ages 8 to adult. (Adult? Yes. Too many grown-ups know too little about genomic science.) www.genetionary.org/DNA

This was created for kids to introduce them to basic genomic science. But damn, there are a whole lot of supposed grown-ups who need to be set down at a desk and given a box of crayons and this book.

It can be downloaded at www.genetionary.org/DNA

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7/28/25

Introducing 2025 National Hereditary Cancer Week/Previvor Day Posters

 National Hereditary Cancer Week Posters. One with a colorful illustration of DNA, another with a tree with cancer ribbons. National Hereditary Cancer Week, September 28 - October 4, 2025. Previvor Day, October 1, 2025. 1 in 279 people are born with an inherited genetic mutation that increases their risk of cancer. Knowing & sharing family health history can help prevent cancer. It’s more than BRCA and breast cancer. Colorectal, ovarian, pancreatic, melanoma, prostate, and other cancers can all be hereditary. Hereditary Cancer is Preventable! Learn more at www.genetionary.org

Hereditary Cancer Week and Previvor Day are still a couple months away, but advocates need to start hanging up posters and playing up the two events to raise awareness. Especially now that it seems like clueless clowns are running the circus and cancer research and prevention are no longer public health priorities. It’s up to us advocates to raise our voices to try and save lives.

The posters can be downloaded here: www.genetionary.org/poster.

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7/22/25

Do You Know Zebrafish?

Zebrafish are fascinating. If a fin, a tail, or even an eye gets bitten off by something, they can grow a new one. Because zebrafish share a lot of DNA base pairs with humans, they are one of the most researched animals. Learn more about deoxyribonucleic acid and other fun stuff when you download this free educational activity booklet PDF. For ages 8 to adult. (Adult? Yes. Too many grown-ups know too little about genomic science.) www.genetionary.org/DNA
Another little fun fact from my “Do You Know Peas about DNA?”

A free* activity book to introduce kids to genomic science. (And since so many adults are absolutely clueless when it comes to basic biology, genes, etc., maybe a lot of them will find it educational as well.)

It can be downloaded at www.genetionary.org/DNA


*For personal, noncommercial use only. If you any have questions about my copyrighted intellectual property usage, please DM me.

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7/16/25

Knowing Your Family Health History and Preventing Cancer

 Image of the cover of the booklet, Genetic Inheritance: Tracing the past the prevent disease in the future. Millions of people have an inherited genetic mutation that can increase the risk of cancer. Most don’t know they have it. Want to know something that is proven to help prevent hereditary cancer? Family outreach has been proven to be the most effective and cost-effective intervention for early detection and prevention in families with a known risk. But that’s the problem. Families rarely communicate about family health history. Sadly, many people suffer and die from hereditary cancers that could have been prevented or caught early because of this. As part of its mission to end hereditary disease, ConnectMyVariant.org has created this free easy-to-understand resource. It helps illustrate how connecting with genetic relatives when there’s a known mutation in the family can help reduce disease risk and save lives. Download a PDF of the book at connectmyvariant.org/genetic-inheritance-comic-book

 A comic book-style resource to help grown-ups understand inherited genetic mutations and hereditary cancer risk? Think it’s too simple for adults? 


Think again.

My wife died a very horrible death from a very preventable cancer because some members of her family didn’t understand what an inherited pathogenic genetic mutation was and what it might mean for other members of the family. And this is in a family devastated by cancer over multiple generations.

These relatives knew about the mutation for years, but didn’t share vital information until after my wife’s cancer diagnosis. They obviously needed someone or something to help them understand the big family picture when they received their genetic test results.

When I was asked to volunteer to help create the art for this project, I did not hesitate. However, to be honest, it was emotionally difficult. Working on it kept reminding that my wife’s terrible death from hereditary cancer was so preventable. 

Go to https://connectmyvariant.org/genetic-inheritance-comic-book to download this free book and learn more about CMV’s mission to end hereditary disease by bringing families together.  If you would like a professionally printed version, you can reach out via email at info@connectmyvariant.org.

And please pass this info on! And save some lives!

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7/4/25

A Reminder for the 4th of July

 The colonists were divided between Loyalists and Patriots. The Continental Congress could not agree on squat. Many Patriot soldiers were young, inexperienced, and ill-equipped. But they kept fighting. How do I know? One of my ancestors was an officer in the Continental Army. My maternal 4th great-grandfather was a captain. Other distant genetic relatives signed the Declaration of Independence. And I’m sure my Native American ancestors were probably saying, “WTF! You’re fighting over our land!” And they were likely unwilling participants as well. Learn history Just a reminder: The war for independence was long, hard, and a total shitshow. (including your family’s). It might surprise you.


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Coming Soon - A Story to Help Prevent Hereditary Cancer

 Coming Soon: Genetic Inheritance -- A Story to Help Prevent Hereditary Cancer

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7/2/25

Peas Mixed with Chromosomes?

Something that I find sad and frustrating as a hereditary cancer advocate is just how little people know about genetics. It's really hard to have a serious discussion about inherited genetic mutations and hereditary cancer awareness and prevention when people have no clue what genes really are and what they actually do.

So I created this free* resource to introduce kids to genomic science. (And with the hope that many adults will find it educational as well.) 

It can be downloaded at www.genetionary.org/DNA

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