Thanksgiving and Family Health

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I know, it's been 3 months since I wrote my last blog. Hopefully you haven't forgotten me! My husband and I went on a cruise of the UK and Ireland in June. I was looking forward to sharing some places in Ireland, but unfortunately we both got sick. It took some time after we got home to recover and then my brother-in-law passed away suddently the end of July. Trying to help my sister get organized to sell her house and move back to Connecticut took most of the summer and I was also trying to get ready for my research trip to Ireland for the month of October. Well, that's my excuse.

For those of you who have been following me for a while, you may remember my many posts on Family Health History. Why now? Since 2004, the U. S. Surgeon General has declared Thanksgiving Day to be Family Health History Day. As families gather together it's the perfect time to ask questions and share information that could be life saving. This year we currently have only an acting Surgeon General, with a nominee for the post who is a "health entrepreneur, author and social media influencer," and hasn't had a medical license since 2019. When I searched on "Family Health History Day 2025" I got multiple hits from various States, but nothing from the U.S. Surgeon General.

We know that certain diseases are passed down through our genes. For example, I am a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis (a recessive disease which requires both parents to carry the gene in order for the disease to occur in their child). We discovered this when my niece was diagnosed. I've passed the gene to two of my three children but since my husband doesn't carry the gene, they, like me, are carriers. This is important information and my daughter's husband was tested and he is not a carrier.

Not all diseases are controlled by our genes or at least ones we know of at this point. There has been an increase in cancers in younger people, which as of now is unexplained. Two of my daughters have had breast cancer, one at 44 and one at 40...they were entirely different types of cancer and neither carry any known markers for cancer. They have been enrolled in a study, so perhaps in the future they will find something. Most doctors ask for a family health history and can adjust screenings as necessary. My younger daughter shared the information on her sister's breast cancer and was put on a six month mammogram schedule beginning at age 37 (before the recommended age of 40). The fact that they caught her triple negative breast cancer so early (within six months) may have saved her life.

You can read my previous posts on this topic by searching my blogs on "health history." If you are interested and want to know more, I would recommend Unlocking Your Genetic History by Dr, Thomas Shawker.

Have a great Thanksgiving and Happy Hunting!

There are lots of specials on DNA kits. It's a great time to stock up. On my recent trip to Ireland, I took 4 atDNA kits and 1 Y-DNA kit with me...just in case!