DNA Is The Unique Spark Of Life : Totally Priceless For Generations That Follow
We’re all aware of how important it is to know our family medical history, but are you aware of the DNA revolution in healthcare? Your DNA contains the biological instructions that make you unique – the shape of your nose, your eye colour, your smile. DNA is passed to each new generation with little variation, but it isn’t just the nice things our children and grandchildren inherit; unfortunately we also pass on medical disorders – from cancers to heart disease.
So… Why Save Your DNA?
When we die our DNA is lost forever through cremation or burial. Therefore, many prominent professors & doctors suggest that preserving our DNA (via DNA Banking) could be critical for future relatives – especially as genetic research continues to advance. Some funeral directors even offer DNA preservation to families of the deceased; this was featured in the Daily Mail ‘Good Health’ section on 31/08/15 : “Why taking the DNA of a deceased loved one could help save your life”. If you have a loved one with a funeral home then please visit DNAMemorial.com; which deals with preserving the DNA of the deceased.
However, preserving the DNA of a deceased loved one is yet another decision for a family to consider at a difficult time – and not all funeral directors offer the service. For this reason, many people are deciding to preserve their own DNA whilst they’re still alive – to help protect their families when they’re gone. Analysis of a family’s DNA across the generations is increasingly being used by the medical profession to track, diagnose and prevent everything from simple skin disorders to terminal cancer. Just Google “personalised medicine” to find out more.
Prof N. James, Director of the Cancer Research Unit University of Warwick
Prof. Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust health foundation, UK.
DNA is incredibly complex, with genetic information being passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, having access to a family’s DNA history allows doctors to better understand genetic diseases in both families and individuals. Only by tracking, analysing and understanding DNA through the generations can many genetic diseases that affect individual family members be properly understood.
In practice, this means your DNA is directly relevant to the health of your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews etc. Put simply, preserving your DNA could be lifesaving.
By Learning From the Past We Can Help Our Families in the Future
The Process: A simple mouth swab is taken from the inside of your cheek. This is sent to our laboratory where we extract the DNA, stabilise it and bind this to a substrate. We do not store or test the DNA for any purposes; we simply return your DNA in a sealed laboratory vial – which can be stored at home by you or your family.
No refrigeration is necessary, as our proprietary process allows your DNA to be preserved indefinitely at room temperature.
There are many reasons to have access to family DNA, including genealogical research & genetically linked medical disorders.