My oldest daughter turned 18 this year. And when she did, she asked for genetic testing.
I didn't push her toward it. She came to me and said she wanted to do it. She's grown up knowing my story. She's been there for appointments, surgeries, conversations about risk. She understands what BRCA means. And she wanted answers about her own genetic status.
She had already done 23andMe, but like many people, she wanted confirmation. 23andMe itself recommends verifying results with your doctor. For her, that mattered. She wanted concrete answers, not just a home test result sitting in her mind.
We were referred to my incredible gynecologist, Dr. Lucas Minig, who connected us with Dr. Vicente Guillem Porta at Unidad de Oncologia Medica for a genetic consultation. The process was straightforward. The doctors were kind, thorough, and genuinely good at what they do. They prescribed bloodwork, we went to the lab, and we waited.
The waiting felt long. Not in an anxious, soul-crushing way, but more like the "are we there yet?" feeling on a long car ride with kids. She just wanted her results back. She was ready to know.
And now she does. She has her answers. Concrete, confirmed results. And she feels good about that. There's something powerful about a young person taking charge of her own health, asking the questions that matter to her, and getting the clarity she needs to move forward.
That's what matters at 18. Having agency. Having answers. Knowing that whatever comes next, she's prepared to face it.
I highly recommend speaking to a geneticist before any testing takes place. My family has been around these conversations since they were itty bitty. We've had lots of talks. They knew what they wanted, and they knew the consequences of knowing. If your children haven't had this history, seeing a geneticist and speaking with one thoroughly is a must. Don't rush this process for them.
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