DNA Is The Roadmap Of Our Medical Legacy – Along With Who And Where We Come From…
An increasing range of genetic tests are now available, from ancestry to medical tests, which is why banking your DNA is so essential – to provide your family with a full DNA record.
Medical Genetics
Many people are unaware that the medical information contained in your biological parents’ and grandparents’ genetic records are becoming more and more valuable to everyone in the family. DNA sequences are passed with very little variation from one generation to the next, therefore the DNA of a 95 year old great-grandmother is of immediate and direct relevance to the health of her six month great-grandson. Approximately 75% of all diseases are now traced back to genetics.
As knowledge of genetic medicine increases, a more complete familial genetic history is of very high importance, and most hospitals have now integrated DNA testing as part of their common practice. The determination of the medical condition itself, the efficacy of potential therapeutic agents, as well as the risks and sensitivity of the patient to treatment, is greatly enhanced by a complete genetic family history. Without this vital information, pinpointing the exact defective cell mutations is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Preserving DNA and having access to your family’s genetic history is very important in accurately guiding the medical profession to pinpoint, track, diagnose and prevent everything from simple skin disorders to terminal cancer.
“DNA Storage preserves the opportunity for future research or clinical testing and may provide critical opportunities for surviving relatives”
American Association of Clinical Oncology
American Association of Clinical Oncology
The Worldwide DNA Revolution
Medical care is now undergoing a worldwide revolution due to DNA, with many large scale projects underway. BBC News reported on 1st August 2014, “A project aiming to revolutionise medicine by unlocking the secrets of DNA is underway in centres across England. People with rare diseases, usually children, will have their DNA compared with that of close relatives.“
And it seems rare diseases are not so rare; doctors believe they actually affect 1 in 17 of the UK population. Furthermore, familial DNA testing is now used for more common conditions, such as heart disease and cancer, and in future will also be used for preventing and treating minor conditions such as skin complaints. Through knowledge of your family’s genetic history, it becomes possible for doctors to predict certain health predispositions; thereby allowing measures to be taken to prevent or mitigate the devastating effects of the disease – before it’s too late. The more familial DNA that is preserved, the more doctors have to work with in predictive and precision genomic medicine.
Your family’s genetic legacy is invaluable and needs to be preserved!
By learning from the past we can help our families in the future. The determination of the medical condition itself, as well as the risks and sensitivity of the patient to treatment, are greatly enhanced by a complete genetic history. Prominent professors, doctors and healthcare experts, as well as the abundance of medical evidence, certainly suggests that preserving familial genetic records is a highly valuable endeavour.
“The increasing availability of DNA based technologies, and the rapidly falling price and increasing precision of sequencing, is leading to a revolution in medical care. This is generally referred to as Personalised Medicine and in reality means using DNA-based data to try and predict responses to therapy to allow more precise tailoring of therapy options. In the future, DNA data will be key to understanding disease in general and individual variations both in disease outcomes and response to treatment. Having access to one’s DNA heritage would greatly aid the understanding of many diseases such as prostate cancer, where it is clear that inherited risk is complex and multi-factorial. For families with rare diseases, again access to stored familial DNA may well help care in the future, even if the precise nature of the inherited problem is not currently fully understood.”
Professor Nicholas James, Director of the Cancer Research Unit at The University of Warwick, England and Professor of Clinical Oncology, Cancer Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, England, October 2014.
Let’s face it, we all know how important our genetic history is…
After all, the first thing doctors usually ask us about is the past medical history of our parents and grandparents etc. (and whether something runs in our family). But what has now become even more important is full and easy access to our complete genetic history; which is all in the DNA. Knowing that a grandmother has heart disease is one thing, but without the DNA to test, the actual detailed information is not available.
It’s like the difference between the summary page on the back of the encyclopaedia, and the encyclopaedia itself!
- Cancer
- Heart Disease
- Diabetes (Type I and Type II)
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Down Syndrome
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Anaemia
- Alzheimer’s
- Dementia
- Huntington’s disease
- Infertility
- Learning Disorders
- Klinefelter Syndrome
- Colour Blindness
- Turner Syndrome
- Haemophilia
- Kidney Disease
- Sachs disease
- Liver Diseases
- Crohn’s Disease
Genealogy
Where and who we come from have always been important questions for all of us. DNA provides many of the answers to those questions. Genetic genealogy utilises the genetic record as part of traditional genealogical research. As more ancestral markers are identified, DNA ancestry testing will become more and more important and exciting.
Why use the Genetic Record for genealogy?
- To learn more about one’s ancestors
- To prove ancestral relationships
- To prove or disprove biological relationships between two people
- To prove or disprove geographic origins of people
- Provide options for halted traditional genealogical research
- Find relatives for adoptees
- Find relatives for those who gave up children for adoption
- To learn from which relative(s) certain traits were inherited
DNA banking secures your legacy for future generations, and may even unlock mysteries from the past. In recent years, genetic genealogy has become one of the most popular hobbies and a favourite family pastime. As genetic records accumulate around the globe, preserving your familial DNA now ensures any and all genealogical and geographic connections are forever possible. Saving this precious resource offers a new level of comfort and satisfaction for your whole family.
Identification
DNA testing is the best method of identification. Apart from twins, nobody shares the same DNA. DNA can also be used to confirm biological relationships between family members – so is critical for missing persons, estate disputes or simply the degree of relationship between two people.
Ensure your family can benefit from the advancements in personalised medicine by saving your DNA today…
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