Although the motivation to explore your genetic risk may have been personal, your family often quickly becomes involved in the process. Despite their involvement, it may be a mistake to assume that your relatives are ready know what you've learned in the process of exploring your genetic risk. However, by understanding your family's fears and considering how best to approach them, you can help make the process go more smoothly. Gathering family medical information can involve talking with other relatives about difficult subjects, for example the death of their parents, or requesting that they release confidential medical information about themselves or their relatives to your health care provider. A Family Member May Need to Get Testing for You to Determine Your Own Risk .
Genetic testing contains paradoxes of it's own.
Although you initially may have been the person pursuing risk assessment or genetic testing, you may not be the ideal person to test in your family. A detailed analysis of your family history may suggest that another family member, usually with a higher genetic risk, will give more informative and ultimately more useful information. More on the Testing Process Genetic Risk Is Family Ris k . The process of assessing your risk for disease may highlight the risks of other family members who may or may not be ready to hear this information. Talking With the Genetic Counselor Gina's sister died of breast cancer 5 years ago at the age of 38.