- By Travis Bray
- Posted June 13, 2016
Is it THAT Time of Year, Again?!?
Pity is usually available only in short supply in my family. We’re very much a “Life’s hard…wear a helmet” group of people. That’s not to say that we don’t care for each other, because we definitely do. We just don’t see any point in sitting on the ground, looking at a skinned elbow, and lamenting the fact that we fell. My mom used…
- By David Dubin
- Posted June 7, 2016
Half Full
Receiving genetic test results is never an easy process. It’s human nature to be concerned about the unexpected, especially when it can affect your future so significantly. When I had genetic testing back in 2007, it was almost a formality. I had coloncancer twice already, by the time I had genetic testing, my family history of colon cancer in…
- By Georgia Hurst
- Posted June 6, 2016
The Importance of Genetic Counseling With Genetic Testing
As I sit in the hereditary cancer trenches, I see the negative effects of genetic testing sans certified genetic counseling every single day – and it is an enormous problem. Many of the fears and concerns that people discuss with me could be addressed and ameliorated simply if they spoke with a certified genetic counselor before and…
- By Jessica Profato, MS, CGC
- Posted June 6, 2016
What Do Genetic Counselors Do?
My name is Jessica Profato-Partlow. I am a relatively new member of the Ambry Genetics family, and very excited to be a part of our hereditary cancer patient website. As a clinical genetic counselor prior to joining Ambry, I spent several years providing hereditarycancer genetic counseling services to many families at a busy cancer hospital. In…
- By Emily Dalton, MS, CGC
- Posted May 25, 2016
When To Test Children For Hereditary Colorectal Cancer
Hello, and welcome to my very first blog post! I’m thrilled to be working with my fellow providers and advocates to spread the word about hereditary colorectal cancer. Prior to starting my work with Ambry 2.5 years ago, I worked as a clinical cancer genetic counselor at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and specialized in hereditary gastrointestinal…
- By David Dubin
- Posted May 23, 2016
I have Lynch syndrome: the genetic predisposition to colon, endometrial, and other cancers…and soccer.
I tell a good story. I’ve been given a certain set of genes. One set of genes has caused me and much of my family to endure multiple tumors. Another set has given me the gift of storytelling, whether in print or in front of a microphone. My name is David Dubin, and along with my wife Robin, I am the co-founder of AliveAndKickn, a foundation…
- By Travis Bray
- Posted May 18, 2016
A Brief History of Travis Bray
My story is one familiar to many in our community… but with a twist. Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) started in my family when my grandfather was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer at the age of 36. Three of his six children, including my father, were later found to have FAP. My mom suspected I had FAP as a toddler, although I wasn’t…
- By Kory Jasperson, MS,CGC
- Posted May 18, 2016
How Expert Care Teams Can Help You
My name is Kory Jasperson. If you asked my friends or family to tell you something about me, they’d probably tell you I’m an adrenaline junkie. They all know how much I love jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, off the tops of buildings, and even off the peaks of mountains or cliffs. Although some of my colleagues may reiterate the same…
- By Carin Espenschied
- Posted May 16, 2016
Adding Gastrointestinal Cancer Topics to our Blog
My name is Carin and I’m a genetic counselor at Ambry Genetics. I’ve been working at Ambry for about 2½ years and before that I worked as a clinical genetic counselor seeing patients at a cancer hospital for over six years. I have always had a special interest in hereditary gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Gastrointestinal cancers, the most…
- By Georgia Hurst
- Posted May 9, 2016
No Mud, No Lotus
Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh believes if people face and embrace their suffering, they will eventually grow from it and possibly turn it into something beautiful and meaningful... Hence the phrase: No mud, no lotus. Five years ago after I was diagnosed with Lynch syndrome, I found myself mired in mud – I had no idea what would emerge…