{"id":212959,"date":"2025-06-25T11:05:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T11:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/212959\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T11:05:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T11:05:11","slug":"first-awareness-then-action-the-life-saving-power-of-cancer-genetic-screening-marketplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/212959\/","title":{"rendered":"First Awareness, Then Action: The Life-Saving Power Of Cancer Genetic Screening | Marketplace"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"jscreen\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Photo Caption: Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, MD\u2014San Francisco internist and jscreen.org<\/a> board member\u2014shares how hereditary testing saves lives during National Cancer Survivors Month<\/p>\n

Shoshana Ungerleider is many things: an internal medicine physician, a science journalist, a San Francisco resident, a host and producer of TED Health, and founder of End Well, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reshaping society\u2019s perception and approach to the end of life.\u00a0 These credentials arguably make Ungerleider as much of an expert on death and dying as one could be.\u00a0 But when her father, Steven Ungerleider, was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the summer of 2022, nothing could have prepared her for the devastating effect that cancer can have on families.<\/p>\n

In the case of Ungerleider\u2019s father, testing showed that his cancer was linked to a BRCA genetic mutation, making it a prime treatment candidate for newly discovered therapies.\u00a0 While this was incredible news for her father\u2019s well-being, it also meant that she and her sister were both at risk of inheriting the same genetic mutation and developing cancer.\u00a0 As an experienced physician, Ungerleider knew that her best chance at early detection and cancer prevention was to gain a better understanding of her genetic risk through cancer genetic testing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cCancer genetic testing may have saved my life,\u201d says Ungerleider.\u00a0 \u201cI tested positive for the same BRCA mutation as my father.\u00a0 Thanks to this knowledge, I was able to take the steps I needed to protect my health and my future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ungerleider\u2019s story is far from the only one of its kind.\u00a0 June is National Cancer Survivors Month, and it\u2019s a time when stories like Ungerleider’s reach those who may not otherwise hear them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Like many people, Ungerleider\u2019s personal experience inspired her to take action by becoming a passionate advocate for cancer prevention and genetic testing.\u00a0 Ungerleider, a San Francisco local, has previously worked with charities such as the Young Professionals\u2019 Advisory Council at Family House, a free home away from home for children undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.\u00a0 She also served on the Board of Directors of Room That Rock 4 Chemo, a non-profit that renovates chemo treatment rooms to spread a little joy during the difficult process of chemotherapy.<\/p>\n

One of Ungerleider\u2019s current projects is a podcast called Before We Go, in which she shares her family\u2019s story and her experience with genetic testing in greater depth.\u00a0 She serves as creator, host, and producer of the podcast, which has been nominated for a Webby award and won a New York Radio Award in May 2025.<\/p>\n

Her experience with cancer genetic testing also led Ungerleider to serve on the Board of Directors for jscreen, a national non-profit public health initiative dedicated to preventing genetic diseases and cancer through access to affordable, at-home genetic testing.\u00a0 By ordering a saliva-based testing kit from jscreen.org<\/a>, individuals can receive a screening for genetic mutations commonly associated with certain illnesses and cancers.\u00a0 jscreen delivers the results alongside a personalized counseling session, where a genetic counselor will go over the results and help the individual determine next steps.<\/p>\n

\u201cjscreen makes it simple and affordable to get tested for hereditary cancer risk,\u201d says Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider. \u201cWith their easy at-home testing and access to personalized genetic counseling, you can better understand your risk and take proactive steps toward cancer prevention or early detection.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

jscreen offers three forms of genetic testing:<\/p>\n