Public invited to FREE genetics, cancer and inherited conditions event in April

Genomic testing – sometimes called genetic testing - has revolutionised the detection, diagnosis, management and treatment of a huge range of cancers and rare and inherited diseases over the past 10-15 years.

Genomic testing can:

• detect and diagnose diseases and conditions much earlier, which can be life-saving for many people
• suggest alternative, more personalised or targeted treatments, which may be more effective and have less side-effects
• lead to forms of IVF that enable parents to have children without passing on life-limiting or potentially fatal conditions
• alert family members to an increased risk of certain cancers, or the presence of an inherited condition within a family

When it works well, it can improve, prolong and even save lives. But there are issues we face. We know that:

• people from the White Gypsy or Irish Traveller, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities have the poorest health outcomes across a range of indicators
• rates of infant and maternal mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes are higher among Black and South Asian groups than white groups
• people of non-white backgrounds make up just 20% of genomics-related research data, with only 2% of participants being of African genetic ancestry

We want to start a conversation with you about all of this. What your own health risks might be, why it’s important to break down barriers put up by complicated terms like ‘genomics’ and ‘genetic testing’, and encourage different communities to raise awareness about when and why testing for cancers and inherited diseases might be important.

Join us on Saturday 5th April 2025 at the Peepul Centre, Leicester to find out more about:

• health inequalities in minority ethnic communities
• what you need to know about inherited conditions
• why it’s important to encourage more people from minority ethnic backgrounds to take part in clinical research
• how we can work together to make access to appropriate genetic testing for a range of cancers and inherited conditions fairer, no matter who you are, what your background or ethnicity is, where you live, or which hospital you are treated at.

We'll provide lunch and refreshments, talks from clinicians, patients and researchers, arts and crafts activities, plus a 'healthcare marketplace' where you can speak to cancer and rare and inherited condition charities and organisations.