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When I studied medicine, it was pretty much all about illnesses all day long. At some point, I was constantly checking myself for symptoms. Fears arose of suffering the same fate as many of the patients I saw every day. And there it was … my family history.
My grandma has to go through the difficult path of several cancers. The combination of their conditions made it highly likely that they were “hereditary” variants. My mental carousel picked up speed.
A thousand desperate questions in my head.
I wondered whether I should get tested for certain genes. But what would I do if the result was positive, i.e. if a corresponding gene was actually detected? Would I be able to cope with it? Would I wait with fear for the outbreak? Or could I actually continue to live a relaxed life?
I don’t know how many times I held the information sheet for genetic testing in my hand. But it was an incredibly heavy burden that rested on my shoulders. But at some point I discovered something that more than made my decision easier. With the discovery of epigenetics, I chose life.
The gift of epigenetics
Epigenetics shows us how we can influence our genes. After all, just because I carry a gene doesn’t mean that it will play a relevant role in my life. Various factors permanently influence our epigenome.
These include, for example, environmental conditions such as chemicals or noise, our individual behavior such as diet, stress, exercise or relaxation, as well as social conditions such as family, friends, work or satisfaction.
Free from fear
That was incredibly reassuring news for me. I now lead a life in which I take many of these factors into account and can say that I am free from any fear of cancer.