Don your denim and donate - Jeans for Genes
2 August 2010
Hunter New England (HNE) Health is encouraging everyone to don their denim and donate to Jeans for Genes Day on Friday 6 August to help enable the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) to continue their life-changing work.
Jeans for Genes Day merchandise will be for sale at HNE Health Lower Mid North Coast cluster facilities where staff will be encouraged to wear their jeans for the day.
HNE Health Genetic Counsellor Bruce Hopper will be at an information stall in Taree City Centre on Jeans for Genes Day from 9:30am to 2:30pm to raise awareness of genetic disorders and answer questions.
“It is research like that undertaken by the CMRI that allows scientists to work toward a better understanding or disorders and diseases, what process make them occur and what can be done to prevent them.”
“Genetic disorders include inherited conditions as well as those caused by gene changes that start with a particular individual.”
“People’s anxiety about their family history can be reviewed by their GP and our genetic counselling service. Often an individual’s anxiety about their family history can be put into perspective by discussing the condition and their experience with it,” Mr Hopper said.
Genetic counselling is available to assist individuals and families to comprehend the medical facts surrounding a disorder, understand the inheritance, consider options available, decide on an appropriate course of action, and learn various ways to best adjust.
“Often people just want to know exactly what a diagnosis actually means. They want to know ‘how did it happen?’, ‘what are the implications?’ and ‘what is the chance that it could happen again if we have another child?’ and ‘what about other family members?’”
Where a genetic disorder is identified, it is also very important that families are aware of the kinds of support that can be provided. After diagnosis, referrals are made to other medical specialists, social services, and special education and support groups when appropriate.
Funds raised from Jeans for Genes Day have contributed towards research that paves the way for better treatments and even cures for common and rare genetic disorders.
“Locally there has been active research into the frequency of a chromosomal change in people with intellectual delay which has found that 20 per cent of people referred by their GP or specialist to the Local Genetic Service have a change that can be identified by a new test called microarray,” Mr Hopper said.
Contact: Janelle Kelly
Phone: (02) 4939 2602