It is October – which means it is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Everywhere you look you will see pink ribbons, fundraisers, organized walks, etc. But how much do you REALLY know about breast cancer? And are you at risk?
In the U.S., 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during her life. ONE.IN.EIGHT. Think about your friends. Think about your family. Statistically speaking, if you know eighty women – that means TEN of your loved ones will be diagnosed. Those numbers are staggering.
Veritas Genetics’ myBRCA test is a genetic screening test that can identify if you have harmful mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and if you’re at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Even if you do not have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, it does not mean you are not a carrier of a BRCA mutation. Recent studies show that some 50 percent of women with BRCA mutations have no substantial family history of breast and ovarian cancer. It means that following the traditional criteria, 1 out of 2 women in the general population will be missed.
Recently I had a chance to team up with Veritas Genetics’ myBRCA test to get tested. I know people have mixed emotions about this, but with a cancer this aggressive, “ignorance is bliss” just doesn’t work.
I wanted to be informed on what is going on inside by body – especially since when these cancers are caught early, they can often be treated – which according to the American Cancer Society could save thousands of lives each year. Veritas Genetics’ myBRCA test is a genetic screening test that can identify if you have harmful mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and if you’re at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.
The myBRCA costs $199, does not require insurance authorization and includes genetic counseling. The goal of the myBRCA at-home test is to help save the lives of more than 250,000 women for whom breast or ovarian cancer are both likely and potentially preventable. You simply request the myBRCA test on the Veritas Genetics website, get approval from your doctor, and the kit is sent in the mail directly to your door. It is a simply saliva test kit which can be completed in minutes and then mailed back in the postage paid envelope. A physician trained in clinical genetics carefully and confidentially reviews every test result and shares the results with you and your doctor within 4-6 weeks. For every purchased test, Veritas Genetics will donate a myBRCA test to a woman in need. For every positive test result, Veritas Genetics will donate four myBRCA tests to family members.
With cancer statistics already staggering – and growing each year – I am happy to see companies like Veritas Genetics’ being proactive in helping us take control of our health by making educated decisions based on the results from these kinds of tests. You can learn more and order your myBRCA testing kit from their website https://my.veritasgenetics.com.
Don’t be a statistic. One in eight women can’t wait.
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