12 Nov, 2020
The 12th of November marks Genetic Counsellor Awareness day.
The day is dedicated to celebrating these professionals and raising awareness about the important role genetic counsellors have. This role includes helping both the public and health professionals understand the important and supportive role they play in healthcare.
Genetic counselling is a communication process aimed at helping individuals, couples and families evaluate and understand the risk of inherited medical conditions.
They help you adapt to the medical, psychological, familial and reproductive implications that come with these conditions. Additionally, they offer support, promote informed decision-making and interpret genetic test results.
This is a rapidly evolving, dynamic allied health profession. Genetic counsellors work in many areas of healthcare, including: cancer, pregnancy, cardiology, neurology, infertility, paediatric and adult medicine. Many work directly with patients, while others work in research, education, public health, or industry settings.
Genetic Counselling Australia, a sister company of myDNA, offer genetic counselling services for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), pharmacogenomics, genetic carrier screening, and breast & ovarian cancer.
Kathryn is an Associate Genetic Counsellor with experience counselling patients in the areas of prenatal, carrier screening, breast cancer and rare disease. She firmly believes in the importance of people being able to make informed decisions relating to their health, family and future, through the provision of information and support. With over a decade of medical research experience, Kathryn previously worked as a scientist in cancer research. She’s a member of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia and the Australasian Society of Genetic Counsellors.
Edi is a trained educator and genetic counsellor, who has experience in prenatal and pre-conception genetic counselling. She has directed the education program at GenesFX Health (now myDNA). Additionally, she provides genetic counselling input to the drug-specific reports and to patients when required.
Kathryn Visser
Associate Genetic Counsellor, myDNA
Edi Rogers
Associate Genetic Counsellor, myDNA
Today we highlight not only our members who are genetic counsellors, but all those right across this flourishing and essential profession. We applaud the work they do in clinics, labs and research to help people better understand their health and make a difference in the future of personalized medicine.
Do you know a genetic counsellor?
If so, don’t forget to reach out and thank them this Thursday. The work they do is invaluable to our society, and we seriously can’t thank them enough.