Family History and Thanksgiving

[AlaskaAngel]

Before we all scatter for the holiday I want to just mention a recent conversation I had with a genetic counselor.

Here is the question I originally asked him:

"I just was reflecting that in all the visits I've had with my medical providers since diagnosis, none of them have ever gone beyond asking how many relatives have had breast cancer. Since having first-degree relatives who have had bc is a risk factor, I'm thinking health care providers maybe could get additional meaningful info by asking not just how many family members have had bc but how many of those relatives have had recurrences or mets or have died of bc. The face of bc is changing and more women are being diagnosed as early stage, which also means that most will never have to deal with recurrence or mets... so it might be helpful in counseling survivors to take in further info for consideration to key in more on those at highest risk. (There isn't even a lab test needed -- *grin* -- and the info is free for the asking... so why not, if it could be useful...)"

The counselor agreed. In addition he made a suggestion that I want to share with you before the holiday, and here it is:

"The CDC and the Surgeon General have also recently recognized the value of the family history not only in cancer, but other diseases too. The government has undertaken a campgain this year to promote the importance of knowing your family history. In fact, Thanksgiving has been declared National Family History Day, and the Surgeon General has recommended that everybody record their family histories on that day when families come together to celebrate the holiday. For more information, check out this website: http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory/ ."

[Becky]

That's a great idea. When I got my genetic testing, I went to my mother for some advice. There were some people on my family tree who died of "consumption". Well, what the "heck" is consumption?


Well, if you really investigate it, it boils down to anything that people got sick and died from but the primary causes were TB and cancers.

My mother said her grandmother (maternal) died from breast cancer but NO body said it. She said she was a young girl in the bedroom when some lady whispered it to another lady. My mom said in those days some people thought you'd get afflicted with something because you did something bad and that part of the body got nailed because of what you did (so I guess breast cancer got associated with a sexual connotion).

I will bring this up at Thanksgiving just to see what other family members know.

Happy Thanksgiving

Becky

[AlaskaAngel]

I wish I had been more aware of my family history BEFORE I was diagnosed because I was in excellent health and wasn't paying much attention at all. I had no idea my aunt had died of bc mets to the brain, or that a grandmother had a mastectomy. My mother had a lumpectomy and my older sister was diagnosed just before I was, and now I have a cousin with bc as well. So I intend to be sure that this holiday I at least do what I can to simply let others in our family know what the family history is, including mine, and hope that helps them to keep a better eye out for themselves than I did. Families get so scattered these days that often the history is lost or just not mentioned before those who do know the history of prior generations ever share it.

A.A.