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Jeans for Genes Day prompts mass Demin-stration
23 July 2008
Hunter New England Health is hosting a mass Denimstration on Friday 1 August in the Manning and Great Lakes area, as part of the 50th Birthday celebrations of the Children’s Medical Research Institute – which is the institute that benefits from us all wearing our jeans and buying a badge or t-shirt as part of Jeans 4 Genes Day.
Local Genetic Counsellor with Hunter New England Health Bruce Hopper, is working with members of the local Jeans for Genes Day committee to have a stand in front of Big W in Manning Mall to raise awareness of genetic conditions and to raise money for research.
Mr Hopper said people are being invited to wear denim on the day, as well as make a tax deductible donation and buy badges, or purchase a variety of t-shirts and kids shirts at a heavily discounted prices.
"At the stand I will be providing information to the public about genetic conditions, and the risk to other family members of a condition that is in the family," he said.
"For example, if people are concerned about a number of people in the family background who have had breast or bowel cancer, then the family can be assessed as to whether it is high risk for them or not.
"We know that only five per cent of ‘family’ conditions are actually due to a gene change, so it is good to reassure families who are not at high risk," he said.
Anyone wishing to know more about the likelihood of diseases being past from one generation to the next, should talk to their GP or phone Bruce Hopper on 6592 9315.
Mr Hopper said a new development in the last year or so is the health service’s ability to look at small sections of our genome using a microarray.
"This is where we can test for small deletions or duplications of the genome – in a much quicker way," Mr Hopper said.
"Research papers from overseas have shown that 10-15 per cent of children who have a developmental delay and don’t have other recognisable conditions, may in fact have a genetic change identifiable on this testing system."
A number of schools in the area, as well as Manning Hospital, are also participating in Jeans for Genes Day by supporting an ‘out of uniform’ day – where the students and staff are all being encouraged to wear denim for the day. Badges will also be available from the Hospitals and Community Health Centres around the valley, as well as from a number of corporate sponsors.
If you are able to help out on the day can you can contact the Jeans for Genes Day organisation on www.jeans4genesday.org.au
Contact: Kay Cope
Phone: 6776 9817
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