My name is Michelle Jackson. I am a genetic counselor that began working at Ambry Genetics after years providing genetic counseling to many families in a busy cancer hospital. I know firsthand how cancer has affected my family, but also how it has impacted the thousands of families I saw before I came to Ambry. I am also a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. Our personal and professional experiences shape and change who we are -- and how we define ourselves -- every day. I want to share the knowledge I gained, along with that of many other healthcare specialists, to help cancer families in need by creating hereditarycancer.com.

That is why hereditarycancer.com is near and dear to my heart. A team of experts (specialized oncology physicians, geneticcounselors, software developers, graphic designers, artists, and others) and I worked for many months to create and develop the images, tools, written and video information you'll find on this website. Families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer can benefit from a place to find trustworthy, accurate information in one spot about topics that matter to them -- we hope you'll find that here.

Most of us are employed by, or affiliated with, Ambry. As for many, cancer has impacted us personally -- either us directly, our family members, our colleagues, or our close friends. This motivates us to increase education and awareness. If you aren't familiar with it, Ambry is a laboratory that offers genetic testing for multiple inherited conditions, including hereditary cancer. All genetic testing conducted by Ambry must be ordered through a healthcare provider; patients cannot order testing themselves. Ambry does much more than genetic testing, though -- it also supports many philanthropic and educational initiatives. Hereditarycancer.com is a prime example of an educational resource Ambry wanted to create for families to find useful, supportive answers for the many questions they have.

Hereditarycancer.com is meant to help cancer patients and their families (or people who may be concerned about their cancer risks) find reliable information they need at any time they need it. Our hope is that you will use it as a continuous, trusted resource throughout your (or your family's) cancer journey. Although the information here should not be interpreted as medical advice or replace a consultation with a healthcare provider, we're still hoping that what you learn here empowers you to become your own advocate and allows you to have informed conversations with your healthcare providers.

We also want this blog to be springboard for discussion and connection. We plan to offer regular posts from patients sharing their experiences with cancer and/or genetic testing, so people can reach out to one another while learning new information, as they want. Also, medical experts will be posting helpful information about hereditary cancer and related topics, (like increased screening, risk-reducing surgery, new treatments, upcoming research, and others).

Be sure to check back soon and often for updates. In the meantime, check out the website and let us know what you think.