On 9 November, we celebrate Genetic Counsellor Awareness Day. The day is dedicated to raising awareness and interest about genetic counsellors and the critical and supportive role they play.
Genetic counsellors offer important guidance and emotional support to patients to help them understand their family history, evaluate genetic testing options, and make informed choices based on test results.
Monash Health has two genetic departments, the General Genetics department and the Familial Cancer Centre (FCC). And the teams consist of genetic counsellors, clinical geneticists, genetics fellows, clinical intake assistants and administrative assistants.
Some of our Monash Health General Genetics team members
Genetic counsellors work in various specialty areas, including:
- Prenatal
- Paediatrics
- Oncology
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Nephrology
- Haematology
- Metabolic diseases
- Genomic medicine
- Immunology
- Dermatology
We asked our genetic counsellors what they love most about their job and some of their responses are shown below.
“I love supporting patients and families to make informed decisions that are right for them.”
“I feel grateful to have the privilege of being with patients during their most vulnerable times and for their generosity in letting me in to support them.”
“I love that as a GC, there is always something new to learn, about new technologies that may help families, or continuing to develop counselling skills to support families and help them make meaning of genetic information.”
“I love empowering people as a genetic counsellor, that despite seeing them often at a very challenging time, we are able to help them feel a bit better – a bit more supported, a bit more educated, a bit more in control. Navigating that journey and tough decisions with them makes me feel like I’m helping in some small but important way.”
To hear more about the genetic counselling profession and to meet some of our team members, please come down to our stall in Lecture Theatre 1 foyer (near the piano) at Monash Medical Centre from 1-3pm today.
We would like to acknowledge and thank our genetic counsellors at Monash Health for their incredible work in caring for and supporting our patients.
Approved by: A/Prof Matthew Hunter – Director of General Genetics