[Applause] so a few years ago I found myself
so a few years ago I found myself
so a few years ago I found myself sitting in a genetic counselors office
sitting in a genetic counselors office
sitting in a genetic counselors office helping a researcher diagram this
helping a researcher diagram this
helping a researcher diagram this beautiful little pedigree chart of my
beautiful little pedigree chart of my
beautiful little pedigree chart of my family and the misfortune and misery of
family and the misfortune and misery of
family and the misfortune and misery of the numerous cancer diagnoses that we
the numerous cancer diagnoses that we
the numerous cancer diagnoses that we had endured I had cancer and two years
had endured I had cancer and two years
had endured I had cancer and two years prior if I don’t cry my youngest brother
prior if I don’t cry my youngest brother
prior if I don’t cry my youngest brother died from cancer at age 23 and weeks
died from cancer at age 23 and weeks
died from cancer at age 23 and weeks before my diagnosis my uncle and my
before my diagnosis my uncle and my
before my diagnosis my uncle and my cousin’s little boy were both diagnosed
cousin’s little boy were both diagnosed
cousin’s little boy were both diagnosed with cancer I had just had a baby of
with cancer I had just had a baby of
with cancer I had just had a baby of course and I worried that I had just
course and I worried that I had just
course and I worried that I had just created this new beautiful little life
created this new beautiful little life
created this new beautiful little life that would one day have to face the fear
that would one day have to face the fear
that would one day have to face the fear and the pain of a cancer diagnosis of
and the pain of a cancer diagnosis of
and the pain of a cancer diagnosis of herself and at the time it seemed
herself and at the time it seemed
herself and at the time it seemed evident that my family had some kind of
evident that my family had some kind of
evident that my family had some kind of genetic condition or a predisposition
genetic condition or a predisposition
genetic condition or a predisposition for this disease and so I went to see
for this disease and so I went to see
for this disease and so I went to see this genetic counselor in hopes of
this genetic counselor in hopes of
this genetic counselor in hopes of gaining some insight understanding some
gaining some insight understanding some
gaining some insight understanding some answers possibly but also I was hoping
answers possibly but also I was hoping
answers possibly but also I was hoping that maybe my family’s experience could
that maybe my family’s experience could
that maybe my family’s experience could contribute to the understanding of this
contribute to the understanding of this
contribute to the understanding of this familial disease pattern and so as this
familial disease pattern and so as this
familial disease pattern and so as this researcher finished up this lovely
researcher finished up this lovely
researcher finished up this lovely little hand-drawn diagram of my pedigree
little hand-drawn diagram of my pedigree
little hand-drawn diagram of my pedigree chart the genetic counselor came in and
chart the genetic counselor came in and
chart the genetic counselor came in and he carefully looked at this chart and he
he carefully looked at this chart and he
he carefully looked at this chart and he was really quiet and you know that
was really quiet and you know that
was really quiet and you know that moment in the movies where it’s like the
moment in the movies where it’s like the
moment in the movies where it’s like the drum roll this is a dramatic moment you
drum roll this is a dramatic moment you
drum roll this is a dramatic moment you know that something big is about to
know that something big is about to
know that something big is about to happen and so I was really nervous
happen and so I was really nervous
happen and so I was really nervous and I thought okay prepare myself for
and I thought okay prepare myself for
and I thought okay prepare myself for this horrible answer and light more life
this horrible answer and light more life
this horrible answer and light more life changes that’s not exactly what happened
the counselor the only words that came
the counselor the only words that came out of his mouth where science can’t
out of his mouth where science can’t
out of his mouth where science can’t prove that your cancers are related at
prove that your cancers are related at
prove that your cancers are related at this time but make sure to come back
this time but make sure to come back
this time but make sure to come back when someone else and your family’s
when someone else and your family’s
when someone else and your family’s diagnosed with cancer and we’ll
diagnosed with cancer and we’ll
diagnosed with cancer and we’ll reevaluate your case okay okay okay I
reevaluate your case okay okay okay I
reevaluate your case okay okay okay I was stunned I was left in this
was stunned I was left in this
was stunned I was left in this counselor’s office with a box of tissues
counselor’s office with a box of tissues
counselor’s office with a box of tissues I was angry I experienced cognitive
I was angry I experienced cognitive
I was angry I experienced cognitive dissonance at its finest I did not
dissonance at its finest I did not
dissonance at its finest I did not believe this scientist that was supposed
believe this scientist that was supposed
believe this scientist that was supposed to have answers for me didn’t have
to have answers for me didn’t have
to have answers for me didn’t have answers but I am NOT a geneticist and so
answers but I am NOT a geneticist and so
answers but I am NOT a geneticist and so I remember going home that day very
I remember going home that day very
I remember going home that day very clearly and crying a lot and I did what
clearly and crying a lot and I did what
clearly and crying a lot and I did what I think most of us here do when we have
I think most of us here do when we have
I think most of us here do when we have these big questions and the answers that
these big questions and the answers that
these big questions and the answers that we are given are less than sufficient I
we are given are less than sufficient I
we are given are less than sufficient I fell back on what I knew I fell back on
fell back on what I knew I fell back on
fell back on what I knew I fell back on what I could understand I’m a geographer
what I could understand I’m a geographer
what I could understand I’m a geographer I have a background in anthropology and
I have a background in anthropology and
I have a background in anthropology and when my brother had died I dug into the
when my brother had died I dug into the
when my brother had died I dug into the literature I dug into the research to
literature I dug into the research to
literature I dug into the research to understand his disease and I found this
understand his disease and I found this
understand his disease and I found this geographic component environmental
geographic component environmental
geographic component environmental pollution exposure that could have
pollution exposure that could have
pollution exposure that could have potentially caused his disease and then
potentially caused his disease and then
potentially caused his disease and then his death but in my immediate family
his death but in my immediate family
his death but in my immediate family situation I couldn’t draw on what I knew
situation I couldn’t draw on what I knew
situation I couldn’t draw on what I knew me my uncle and my cousin’s little boy
me my uncle and my cousin’s little boy
me my uncle and my cousin’s little boy each of us had
each of us had
each of us had very different cancers none of which
very different cancers none of which
very different cancers none of which were brain cancer and in addition to
were brain cancer and in addition to
were brain cancer and in addition to that we had never lived anywhere near
that we had never lived anywhere near
that we had never lived anywhere near each other to experience a shared
each other to experience a shared
each other to experience a shared environmental pollution exposure and so
environmental pollution exposure and so
environmental pollution exposure and so I had to grapple with the really
I had to grapple with the really
I had to grapple with the really difficult idea that I was not seeing a
difficult idea that I was not seeing a
difficult idea that I was not seeing a familial disease pattern I was living
familial disease pattern I was living
familial disease pattern I was living some horrible random chance it did not
some horrible random chance it did not
some horrible random chance it did not sit well with me and so I did what I do
sit well with me and so I did what I do
sit well with me and so I did what I do I dug back into the research and I was
I dug back into the research and I was
I dug back into the research and I was heartened when I came across the works
heartened when I came across the works
heartened when I came across the works of a doctor Michael Skinner at
of a doctor Michael Skinner at
of a doctor Michael Skinner at Washington State University dr. Skinner
Washington State University dr. Skinner
Washington State University dr. Skinner studies how our genes interact with our
studies how our genes interact with our
studies how our genes interact with our environment dr. Skinner and scientists
environment dr. Skinner and scientists
environment dr. Skinner and scientists like him have found that indeed our
like him have found that indeed our
like him have found that indeed our genes based off of some environmental
genes based off of some environmental
genes based off of some environmental signal can switch on or off so to speak
signal can switch on or off so to speak
signal can switch on or off so to speak and under the right conditions
and under the right conditions
and under the right conditions if this exposure occurs before you have
if this exposure occurs before you have
if this exposure occurs before you have children there is a potential that you
children there is a potential that you
children there is a potential that you can pass that on through your genes to
can pass that on through your genes to
can pass that on through your genes to your kids and this includes disease let
your kids and this includes disease let
your kids and this includes disease let me give you one Geographic example that
me give you one Geographic example that
me give you one Geographic example that I think will help clarify what I’m
I think will help clarify what I’m
I think will help clarify what I’m saying here so in 1982 amazing
saying here so in 1982 amazing
saying here so in 1982 amazing scientists dr. Lars Olav bigram and a
scientists dr. Lars Olav bigram and a
scientists dr. Lars Olav bigram and a dr. Marcus Pembrey studied this small
dr. Marcus Pembrey studied this small
dr. Marcus Pembrey studied this small and remote village in Sweden that
and remote village in Sweden that
and remote village in Sweden that through the 19th century was known for
through the 19th century was known for
through the 19th century was known for going through severe feast and famine
going through severe feast and famine
going through severe feast and famine food conditions now the amazing thing
food conditions now the amazing thing
food conditions now the amazing thing about this little village in Sweden is
about this little village in Sweden is
about this little village in Sweden is that they kept meticulous records they
that they kept meticulous records they
that they kept meticulous records they were excellent record keepers they even
were excellent record keepers they even
were excellent record keepers they even recorded how much food was available for
recorded how much food was available for
recorded how much food was available for families through these times and so what
families through these times and so what
families through these times and so what these two scientists did after they had
these two scientists did after they had
these two scientists did after they had acquired their information they tracked
acquired their information they tracked
acquired their information they tracked down the descendents which were the
down the descendents which were the
down the descendents which were the grandchildren of those that live
grandchildren of those that live
grandchildren of those that live in this village and they compared the
in this village and they compared the
in this village and they compared the health and longevity of these grandkids
health and longevity of these grandkids
health and longevity of these grandkids to the food availability of their
to the food availability of their
to the food availability of their grandparents that lived in this village
grandparents that lived in this village
grandparents that lived in this village through these feast and famine times and
through these feast and famine times and
through these feast and famine times and what they found was remarkable it wasn’t
what they found was remarkable it wasn’t
what they found was remarkable it wasn’t magic but it was remarkable they could
magic but it was remarkable they could
magic but it was remarkable they could find a direct association a strong
find a direct association a strong
find a direct association a strong correlation between the amount of food
correlation between the amount of food
correlation between the amount of food their grandparents were able to consume
their grandparents were able to consume
their grandparents were able to consume before adolescence specifically
before adolescence specifically
before adolescence specifically grandparents that experienced more
grandparents that experienced more
grandparents that experienced more famine conditions before adolescents
famine conditions before adolescents
famine conditions before adolescents passed down genes that allowed their
passed down genes that allowed their
passed down genes that allowed their grandchildren to live longer healthier
grandchildren to live longer healthier
grandchildren to live longer healthier lives
lives
lives famine longer healthier lives okay
grandparents that feasted that had more
grandparents that feasted that had more food available to them actually had
food available to them actually had
food available to them actually had grandkids that lived shorter less
grandkids that lived shorter less
grandkids that lived shorter less healthy lives for me the light bulb had
healthy lives for me the light bulb had
healthy lives for me the light bulb had turned on and we know now that this is
turned on and we know now that this is
turned on and we know now that this is something called epigenetics we know
something called epigenetics we know
something called epigenetics we know that we have the ability that our genes
that we have the ability that our genes
that we have the ability that our genes have the ability to switch on and off
have the ability to switch on and off
have the ability to switch on and off based off of environmental exposures and
based off of environmental exposures and
based off of environmental exposures and that is what was being witnessed in this
that is what was being witnessed in this
that is what was being witnessed in this village for me for my family situation
village for me for my family situation
village for me for my family situation the light bulb had turned on and I had
the light bulb had turned on and I had
the light bulb had turned on and I had to ask myself okay having this new
to ask myself okay having this new
to ask myself okay having this new information even if it was just for me
information even if it was just for me
information even if it was just for me to cope with the situation if I could
to cope with the situation if I could
to cope with the situation if I could map my ancestors over space and time all
map my ancestors over space and time all
map my ancestors over space and time all the way down to me I could potentially
the way down to me I could potentially
the way down to me I could potentially deduce an environmental exposure that
deduce an environmental exposure that
deduce an environmental exposure that has caused my current familial disease
has caused my current familial disease
has caused my current familial disease pattern of cancer and this is something
pattern of cancer and this is something
pattern of cancer and this is something that I’m calling Geographic legacy and
that I’m calling Geographic legacy and
that I’m calling Geographic legacy and so today I am a PhD
so today I am a PhD
so today I am a PhD student in medical geography and that is
student in medical geography and that is
student in medical geography and that is a real thing not kidding and I take the
a real thing not kidding and I take the
a real thing not kidding and I take the datasets of historic environmental data
datasets of historic environmental data
datasets of historic environmental data and I combined that data with family
and I combined that data with family
and I combined that data with family pedigree data from the Utah population
pedigree data from the Utah population
pedigree data from the Utah population database housed at the Huntsman Cancer
database housed at the Huntsman Cancer
database housed at the Huntsman Cancer Research Institute I bring these pieces
Research Institute I bring these pieces
Research Institute I bring these pieces of information together and I recreate
of information together and I recreate
of information together and I recreate Geographic legacies of families in hopes
Geographic legacies of families in hopes
Geographic legacies of families in hopes of finding some association between
of finding some association between
of finding some association between these environmental exposures and our
these environmental exposures and our
these environmental exposures and our disease outcomes and families and so it
disease outcomes and families and so it
disease outcomes and families and so it is my hope that Geographic legacies
is my hope that Geographic legacies
is my hope that Geographic legacies become commonplace in our medical
become commonplace in our medical
become commonplace in our medical research but it is my dream that
research but it is my dream that
research but it is my dream that Geographic legacies become commonplace
Geographic legacies become commonplace
Geographic legacies become commonplace for all of us but for familial disease
for all of us but for familial disease
for all of us but for familial disease research so I know you’re all on the
research so I know you’re all on the
research so I know you’re all on the edge of your seats I want you to know
edge of your seats I want you to know
edge of your seats I want you to know that I’m cancer-free today thank you
my little girl turned eight just a
my little girl turned eight just a couple days ago and she’s healthy and
couple days ago and she’s healthy and
couple days ago and she’s healthy and happy but my uncle who suffers from
happy but my uncle who suffers from
happy but my uncle who suffers from multiple myeloma even today he is one of
multiple myeloma even today he is one of
multiple myeloma even today he is one of the longest living survivors of his
the longest living survivors of his
the longest living survivors of his cancer and so he is continually being
cancer and so he is continually being
cancer and so he is continually being studied for his longevity and my cousin
studied for his longevity and my cousin
studied for his longevity and my cousin who was just a little boy at the time of
who was just a little boy at the time of
who was just a little boy at the time of his diagnosis is here today in the
his diagnosis is here today in the
his diagnosis is here today in the audience and he is a teenager now and
audience and he is a teenager now and
audience and he is a teenager now and he’s healthy as well
he’s healthy as well
he’s healthy as well [Applause]
”
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