You’ve just received your very own saliva collection kit- congratulations! Now you’re left with the somewhat daunting task of providing a sample. Set aside etiquette concerns and start thinking about your favorite meal or snack- let’s get those saliva glands into full gear! Step 1: Nothing by mouth for 30 minutes I hope you read …
“How to Spit” A guide on how to provide a saliva sample for genetic testing Read More »
In the world of genetics, we often use the term Knowledge is Power. Gaining that knowledge usually starts with a genetic counseling appointment, then spreads into research, support groups, podcasts, you name it. When it comes to those of us with hereditary cancer risk, we can often be hungry for even more knowledge. One of …
Must-Reads for Women with Hereditary Cancer Risk Read More »
If two months ago someone would have told me where we are today, I would have never believed them. Businesses are shuttered, surgeries canceled and postponed indefinitely, standard-of-care medical treatments being suspended or delayed, people attending important medical appointments and learning life-changing information without the support of a loved one. It is stunning how much …
I’m writing today to ask for your help in showing support for H.R.3235 – the Access to Genetic Counselor Services Act of 2019. This Act, if passed, would allow for genetic counselors to be reimbursed for medically necessary genetic counseling services under part B of the Medicare program. The Problem Genetic counselors have advanced training and …
Help Ensure Access to Independent Genetic Counseling Services: Support HR 3235 Read More »
March 3 is Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day, so we want to discuss the important association of a breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA1) and Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Changes (or mutations) in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can predispose to a higher risk for some types of cancer, including breast, ovarian cancer, prostate, and pancreatic …
Hereditary Risks for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Read More »
What is a Genetic Counselor? It’s a question every single genetic counselor has heard many times. While it can be frustrating, it’s also kind of understandable. While genetic counseling has been around since the early 1970s, up until fairly recently, the vast majority of people didn’t have much of a reason to see a genetic …
The landscape of the genetic counselor workforce has shifted dramatically in recent years, in large part due to new opportunities for genetic counselors in genetic testing laboratory settings. According to the Professional Status Survey conducted by the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the number of genetic counselors who report a laboratory as their primary work setting …
Reviewing your family and health history as well as your personal beliefs and goals with a genetic counselor can help you understand the current state of information we have with regards to genetics and Alzheimer’s disease and how this applies to your unique situation.
This summer, many 23andMe customers will learn that they carry a variant in the gene, MUTYH. This article provides a summary of what this information means for MUTYH carriers and their family members.
It’s a question every single genetic counselor has heard many times. It can be exhausting to explain over and over again, a constant justification for what you work so hard at every day. At a certain point, I started thinking. What IS a genetic counselor? I’ve had my stock responses, from the literal definition ‘I …
