Genetic Counseling

I went into counseling thinking that there would be nothing in it for me. No breast cancer in my family. Nada, Nunca, Zero. All died of old age and heart disease. But after the counseling session I realized that I did have a one in eight chance of having a mutation of these genes. Men can pass on the gene and it can show up in men as prostate cancer.

Long story short we decided to go ahead with the genetic testing. Medicare pays for it if you have cancer under the age or 4o and/or have a second cancer. I fill both these critera. AMEN to

Medicare.

The test is for mutations of genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes are present in both males and females and are tumor supressors. If you have mutations of this gene you don't have this protection.

photo: niece Heather, Maggie and twin sister Mary, in Puerta Vallarta