Time To Talk Turkey! Get Your Family’s Medical History As You Gather Together
The holidays are a unique time – and we’re talking about something much more than eating ‘til we bust or getting presents. It’s a unique time because it’s one of the rare times of the year when the family is all together, which makes it the perfect time to get the family medical history.
Yes, I know that’s probably not on your list. But think about it. How many times have you gone into a doctor’s office for a check-up and have had the doctor os someone on the staff ask you “Is there any history of ___ in your family?”
They’re not asking because they want to chat with you.They’re asking because that information may actually save your life one day. For example, if the doctor knows you have a history of breast cancer in your family, he may send you in more often for a mammogram. The same might be true for a whole host of other diseases, with your family history meaning the difference between screening intervals, check-ups and more.
So dig deep. Don’t let the conversation stop with someone saying, “Well, Aunt Mary died of some female problem” or “Uncle Frank’s sugar was never right.” Find out if it was cancer. Find out if it was diabetes. We know these can be a scary topics, but not knowing potential diseases or health conditions your family members have can put you and your loved ones at risk.
Need some help before starting the conversation? Go here https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/famhistory/famhist_basics.htm) for some basics of why talking about health history is important. Start with your immediate family, such as your parents, brothers, sisters and then talk to grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, etc. It’s important to especially ask about chronic diseases and cancer history. If you need to organize all this information, check out this tool from the Surgeon General: https://phgkb.cdc.gov/FHH/html/index.html
And when it comes to cancer, knowing your risk helps you take preventive measures, such as getting screened earlier or getting tested for genetic mutations, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. If you are concerned about BRCA1 or BRCA2, check out SurviveDAT’s resources on genetics: https://survivedat.org/expert-advice/genetics-the-basics
Now that you have asked the important questions, it’s time to act!. Always talk with your doctor to bring up any concerns you have and he or she will help you decide the next steps to take. It might mean getting screened earlier for breast or colon cancer, or changing some lifestyle choices. Whatever you find out about your health history, please be proactive because it can save your life!
Check out these resources to help you get started:
LCP: https://louisianacancer.org/resources/additional-resources/genetics/
Genetic Testing-American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/should-you-get-genetic-testing-for-cancer-risk.html?utm_campaign=novnationalnewsletter_south&utm_medium=email&utm_source=acxiom&utm_content=non&bt_ee=4Kif/eB0tLCrLLJEwG%2BzFARmzydELTSKW9CmEodLjJhTRBLzPmkHqsFlJ55bnUM7&bt_ts=1573234351432
Know Your Girls: https://knowyourgirls.org/resources/start-talking-the-importance-of-family-health-history/
Bright Pink: https://apps.komen.org/FamilyHealthHistoryTool/