Irina Brooke joins me for this podcast episode. She is an patient advocate with the mission of supporting people with BRCA mutations and educating the public on this testing and how it can empower healthcare decisions.

On This Episode We Discuss…

Deciding to pursue genetic testing and results

Qualifications for having a strong family history of ovarian, breast and/or prostate cancer

The risk of passing on a BRCA mutation to a child

Males inheriting gene mutations

Genetic counseling process and experience

Cancer development risk level for people who have BRCA gene mutations

Beyond BRCA, additional gene mutations that increases one’s risk for developing cancer

Options for preventing and monitoring cancer

Recovering from breast cancer

Support systems available

Getting involved in the patient advocacy community

BRCA community terms (previvor, mutantvivor, etc.)

Advice to those with family history of cancer and those who have a BRCA mutation

Check out Irina’s Instagram, Facebook page, and Facebook group for women in the hereditary breast and ovarian cancer community with mutations (BRCA etc.). She also shares her journey on her website’s blog.

Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on May 18th, 2018.

New episodes are released on the first and third Fridays of the month. See what else I am up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and iTunes. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected].