From Worry to Relief: How Genetic Testing Impacted Gloria Graves

Having lost four of her aunts to colon cancer, Gloria Graves worried about her family history for the disease. So, when her doctor suggested she join Cone Health’s new GeneConnect research study, she jumped at the chance.  

With just a simple blood draw, the no-cost GeneConnect program reveals people’s genetic risk for three cancers – colorectal, breast, and ovarian – as well as heart disease related to high cholesterol.

At 62 and 65, Gloria and her husband, Ricky, signed up for the confidential screening. About two weeks later, both were pleased to learn their DNA did not put them at risk for any of the three cancers.

“My test said I didn’t have any propensity to cancer, and I was so surprised and relieved because I just felt I would, given my family history,” Gloria said. As a bonus, the screening also reveals other interesting tidbits about people’s ancestry and genetic traits, such as caffeine sensitivity and sleep patterns.

A collaboration between Cone Health and its precision healthcare partner, Helix, the program will supply information for a secure, privacy-protected genetic research database. Over time, scientists can use that information to learn what may cause certain diseases and how to treat them more effectively.

To date, 18,124 people have signed up for the program, with about 11,324 of them having undergone screening. To learn more, visit the GeneConnect website.