BBVic Speakers Forum: Jews, Genes & Cancer

A Speakers Forum featuring Professor Martin Delatycki, the Clinical Director of the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, and Jane Tiller, a genetics counsellor, attracted 150 people to the Beth Weizmann Community Centre on Tuesday 4th June. Martin spoke about a number of diseases to which Jews are at increased genetic risk, and Jane explained how the project which she is managing, JeneScreen, is offering screening tests for the faulty BRCA genes to the Jewish community. These faulty genes are of increased prevalence among Jewish people, and they are associated with a higher chance of developing a number of cancers including breast, ovarian and prostate.

There were many younger people from the community who attended and who were not members of B’nai B’rith. They and many other people undertook BRCA genetic screening at the conclusion of the event. The Speakers Forum is intended to attract a wider audience by presenting interesting and important topics and speakers, and this night was a highly successful one in that regard.  

Anyone who wishes to enquire about free BRCA screening can follow up with Ms Jane Tiller by emailing her at jane.tiller@vcgs.org.au. There will be another Speakers Forum toward the end of the year.

Peter Schattner (Chair, Speakers Forum)