Your Health, Revolutionized.

What if you knew in advance that you could possibly contract different forms of cancers, heart diseases, or diabetes? Would you be inclined to change your lifestyle and work towards preventing such conditions? More than likely the response would be yes. Such an innovation is now being made possible through whole-family genomic sequencing, in which a whole family's gene sequences are mapped out and compared in order to assess who may be at risk for certain diseases in the future. In the September 16, 2011 article from US News HealthDay entitled, "Family of Four Has Their Genome Sequenced," reporter Jenifer Goodwin discusses how executive geneticist John West and his family were sequenced after the two pulmonary embolisms West faced turned out to be consequences of the genetic mutation he possesses, the Factor V mutation. The test results compiled showed that out of his son and daughter, his daughter was at risk and possessed this mutation as well. In addition to not only the Factor V mutation, the family also discovered their increased risk for skin cancer as well as everyone, with the exception of the son, being at risk for esophageal inflammation. Such news spurred the family to take initiative and to become more aware of their lifestyle choices in order to prevent such things from happening. This remarkable innovation can now be used, and at an increasingly lower cost, to save more lives than one can think imaginable. Researchers believe that in the near future, genome sequencing will be so affordable that patients will be able to visit their doctors and hand them their own sequence; thus, allowing the doctor to develop lifestyle and habit needs on-the-spot and be able to prescribe different medications in order to prevent any diseases that patients may be predisposed to. I found this article, and these advancements, to be very relieving because there is a lot of history of diabetes in my family, and it would be beneficial to know whether or not I personally may be at risk and should see the disease as a threat. I feel like many people’s lives would be positively affected by these sequencings going mainstream and would improve the overall health and quality of life around the world.