Hereditary Cancer Foundation

☀️🌊 Summer’s Here – Stay Safe & Know Your Risk! 🌊☀️

Summer is for sunshine, family, and fun, but it’s also a great reminder to look out for your health—especially if cancer runs in your family.

🧬 Hereditary cancers like BRCA, Lynch syndrome, and others can increase your risk for certain cancers. Knowing your family history and talking to your doctor about screening and genetic counseling is key.

💡 Summer checklist for your health:
-Protect your skin with sunscreen
-Schedule preventive screenings before vacation season
-Share family health history with loved ones

This summer, don’t just soak up the sun—soak up knowledge that can save lives! 💙

💪 Men, Your Health Matters 💪

This Men’s Health Month, remember: taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury—it’s essential.

-Schedule routine check-ups and screenings
-Know your family health history
-Talk to your doctor about genetic testingif cancer runs in your family
Your family history can guide your screenings and help catch cancer early, when it’s most treatable.

🚭 Smoking & Cancer Risk: The Facts 🚭

Smoking isn’t just linked to lung cancer—it increases the risk for at least 12 other types of cancer, including:

Mouth, throat, and esophagus
Pancreas and bladder
Kidney and stomach

💡 The good news:
Quitting smoking reduces your cancer risk, even if you’ve smoked for years
Support, counseling, and resources can make quitting more achievable

🧬 If you have a hereditary cancer risk: Smoking can compound your risk. Protect yourself and your loved ones by making smoking cessation a priority.

🧬 Who Should Consider Genetic Testing for Cancer Risk? 🧬

Genetic testing isn’t for everyone—but it can be life-changing for some. You may want to consider genetic testing if you:

• Have multiple relatives with the same or related cancers
• Have a family member or yourself diagnosed at a young age
• Have had more than one type of cancer
• Have a known genetic mutation in your family (like BRCA or Lynch syndrome)
• Personally diagnosed with certain cancers, such as breast, ovarian, colorectal, or pancreatic cancer

Knowing your genetic risk can help guide screening, prevention, and care—for you and your family. Talk to your doctor or a genetic counselor to learn more. 💙

🎗️ June is National Cancer Survivor Month 🎗️

This month, we celebrate survivors and honor the courage, strength, and resilience it takes to fight cancer. 💙

💡 Remember:
Survivorship includes ongoing care and screenings
Knowing your family health history can help loved ones take preventive steps.
Sharing your story can inspire and educate others—early detection saves lives.

💬 How to Talk to Your Family About Health History 💬

Starting the conversation about family health history can feel uncomfortable—but it’s one of the most important conversations you can have.

💡 Tips to get started:
• Choose a relaxed moment, like a family gathering or call
• Explain why you’re asking—to protect everyone’s health
• Ask simple questions about who had cancer, what type, and what age
• Share what you know first—it helps others open up
• Remember: this is about support, not fear

Knowing your family history can help guide screening, prevention, and genetic testing decisions—for you and future generations. 💙

Sometimes the hardest conversations lead to the most life-saving knowledge.

This week we were honored to receive a generous donation from the Nebraska State Patrol from their funds raised during the Nebraska Pink Patch Project 🩷

Special thank you to Trooper Tom Hicken for managing the Project on behalf of NSP!

All funds raised stay right here in Nebraska and 100% of funds go directly to supporting high risk patients and families, no administrative overhead 🎉

Funds raised will fund:
🩷 16 families given lifesaving insights with funded genetic testing
🩷 40 patients receiving surgery or chemo recovery care packages

Thank you for keeping our mission alive!

🌟🎗️ Celebrating National Cancer Survivor Month 🎗️🌟

This June, we honor all cancer survivors—people who have faced one of life’s toughest battles. 💙

Every survivor’s journey is unique:

-Enduring treatments that challenge the body and mind
-Navigating uncertainty and fear
-Celebrating milestones—big and small—along the way

Survivors inspire us all. They remind us that early detection, awareness, and support can save lives. Whether you’re a survivor, a caregiver, or a loved one, take a moment to recognize the strength it takes to thrive.

💪 To survivors everywhere: your courage is a beacon of hope.

It's as simple as ABCDE.

May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month