The Chicago Center for Jewish Genetic Disorders is pleased to announce the expansion of its screening panel from four disorders to nine. The Center's newly expanded panel now includes the following disorders: Bloom syndrome, Canavan disease, cystic fibrosis, familial dysautonomia, Fanconi anemia (type C), Gaucher disease (type I), mucolipidosis IV, Niemann-Pick disease (type A), and Tay-Sachs disease. Carrier screening for these nine disorders requires only one simple blood sample, and will be available this fall at the Center's Genetic Education and Screening for Young Jewish Adults Program.
Within the Ashkenazi Jewish community, approximately one in five individuals carries the gene mutation for a Jewish genetic disorder. To address this high carrier frequency, the Center began its screening program in 2002 with a panel of three disorders: Canavan disease, Tay-Sachs disease, and familial dysautonomia. In 2004, cystic fibrosis was added to the panel, putting the Center in line with what the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) considers standard of care. The Center is now extremely pleased to be able to offer this even more comprehensive panel of nine disorders.
The Center is collaborating with the new Human Genetics Lab at Jacobi Medical Center in New York City to provide screening for these nine disorders. This relationship will also allow the Center and other nonprofit health organizations to have increased contact with the lab and a role in decision-making about its direction. As advancements are made in the field of genetics, a close relationship between the lab and nonprofit organizations will allow for a continued dialogue about how this greater knowledge can best serve the community.
With the prohibitive cost and lack of insurance coverage for much of this testing, the Center's subsidized screening program provides an important service to Chicago's Jewish community. The program will be offered twice this fall for a cost of $90 per person: Tuesday, Oct. 24 at Anshe Emet, and Monday, Dec. 4 at Emanuel Congregation. Additional screening programs will be held in March and May of 2007. Each program includes a kosher meal, an educational presentation, and the expanded panel of carrier screening. For more information on the Center's screening programs and other events, or to learn more about Jewish genetic disorders, please visit the Center's website at www.jewishgeneticscenter.org, or contact Rachel Sacks by phone at (312) 357-4988 or by e-mail at RachelSacks@juf.org.
Update 02/20/2008: The Center's Spring 2008 Screening Dates are as follows: Monday, March 3, 2008 at Temple Sholom, and Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at Chicago Sinai.
The Chicago for Jewish Genetic Disorders is a partner in serving the community, supported by the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
