Knowing your family health history 
could help save your life

David was adopted at the age of 10. He didn't meet his biological family until he was an adult. One of the first things his paternal grandmother said to him was, “How are your kidneys?” He learned then that autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) was common in his biological family. At her suggestion, he got tested. It turned out he had a disease that he'd never heard of.

People look at me, and they say, 'you look great.' And I say, 'thank you,' but if you knew how I really felt.

David’s disease journey

Family members talking
Ready for a family health history conversation?

Talk with your closest relatives (parents, siblings, and children) first before you move on to grandparents, aunts and uncles, and nieces and nephews. Next, reach out to third-degree relatives, including cousins and the “greats,” such as a great-grandparent, and ask them about their health history.

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There are several thousand rare, genetic diseases.

Talk to your relatives to find out if any conditions run in your family.

NEXT: INHERITED DISEASES