Do you make it a habit to give your father a gift every year at this time? Or maybe at least give him a call to tell him how much you love and appreciate him. This year, maybe it’s time for a different kind of gift – a gift of health awareness. If you are a father yourself, you should reward yourself with this kind of gift as well. I am talking about three key questions regarding prostate cancer , as presented by the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC).

The three questions are:

What could put me at risk for prostate cancer?
Is genetic testing for prostate cancer available?
If I decide to have genetic testing, what should I expect?

It may sound morbid to some people but I think we should all think in practical terms. I never thought that we would have a case of prostate cancer in our family but my uncle died of this disease 2 years ago. He was married to my aunt so we weren’t related by blood but still, the fact that I personally know someone who died of prostate cancer is enough to make me want to answer those three questions above, especially since prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in American men.

Is testing going to help? According to Angela Trepanier, president of the NSGC:

Genetic tests for prostate cancer can help save lives, but they can also raise more questions than answers. It is important that someone who has expertise in genetics helps you understand and interpret your risks, options and the impact that test results could have on you and your family.

Photo courtesy of Melilotus