The support group for people at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancers (HBOC) will hold its meeting next Tuesday from 4:30-6 p.m. in the CHI Memorial Rees Skillern Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Support, 605 Glenwood Dr., Suite 307 in Chattanooga. The group is for men and women with mutations that effect their risk of HBOC syndrome. Catherine Marcum, DPN, APN, AGACNP-BC, AGN-BC, advanced practice nurse with training in clinical cancer genetics through the City of Hope, and Rhonda Edwards, LCSW, OSW-C, facilitate the group.
Officials said, "More than two million women in the United States may be at increased risk for hereditary cancers because of their family history, according to Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE). Hereditary cancers mean someone is born with changes or mutations in certain genes which normally protect against cancer.
These changes are usually inherited from a parent and can increase the risk for cancers in different parts of the body.
"The Rees Skillern Cancer Institute’s Cancer Risk and Survivorship Center offers cancer risk counseling to help people better understand how their family history of cancer might affect their individual risk of developing cancer. Specially trained staff will assist you in finding accurate information about your cancer risk and answer your questions. They will explain how that information relates to you individually and address testing for cancer genes, when appropriate."
To RSVP for the FORCE support group meeting, or for more information on cancer risk counseling, or to schedule an appointment, call 423-495-GENE (4363).
The FORCE support group meets once every quarter.