Call for more information at 256-327-9597 Email for more information: informationispower@hudsonalpha.org

DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF YOUR HEALTH

Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. In Alabama this year, there will be more than 30,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed according to the American Cancer Society.

Cancer screening can empower you to make important health decisions for you and your family. The HudsonAlpha Information is Power Initiative is a genetic test for cancer risk. The test is a simple cheek swab that can identify an increased risk for inherited cancer. The test can be taken in the comfort of your home or in a doctor’s office.

In collaboration with your physician and a genetic counselor, you can use the information provided to plan your medical care.

Remember:

You share genetics with your family. What you learn could potentially impact your parents, siblings, children, cousins and others you love.

All North Alabama Residents can learn their cancer risk

Cancer touches the lives of far too many. It is estimated that 30,210 Alabama men and women will be diagnosed with cancer, and 10,520 will die in 2022. The simple saliva test, offered by Kailos Genetics, screens for the well-known BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes which increase breast and ovarian cancer risk, as well as several dozen other genes linked to breast, ovarian, colon, prostate, pancreatic, and other cancers.

In 2022, we surpassed 6,000 Information is Power participants. Today the Information is Power test remains for FREE to those 28-30 years of age in Madison, Limestone, Jackson, Marshall, or Morgan Counties. In 2023, we will welcome Dr. Mary-Claire King, the scientist who discovered the BRCA1 gene, back to Huntsville to celebrate our success to date. Thanks to the support of our sponsors, this program continues to offer members of our community an opportunity to learn about cancer risk.

The Information is Power cancer-screening test is offered at a reduced rate of $129 for those 19 and older and is still FREE for those 28, 29, and 30 years of age in the 5 Alabama counties. There is also an option to gift a test to someone you love in most states.

What you learn can have an impact on your life and the lives of your family members.

Genetic Testing for Cancer Risk in Alabama

Learn your risk for cancer by taking our noninvasive test. The test is a simple cheek swab and the results come back in a matter of weeks. Developed by Kailos Genetics, the test looks at more than thirty genetic changes linked to breast and ovarian cancer risk, as well as colorectal and prostate cancer.

Although changes in these genes are rare, it is important to identify them because healthcare providers can use this information to alter a patient’s care including screening requirements which can help prevent cancer or identify cancer at an earlier stage.

Who is a candidate?

Any consenting adult (person 19 years old or older) is eligible to learn about their hereditary cancer risk. Our funding and initiatives offering free testing rotate. If you are interested in your eligibility or access to a test, please contact us: informationispower@hudsonalpha.org.

What will the genetic screening NOT tell me?

This genetic screening does not diagnose cancer nor does it replace other types of screening such as mammograms. It also does not tell whether an individual definitely will or will not develop cancer in the future, as the presence of a risk factor does not increase cancer risk to 100%. Likewise, the absence of risk factors identified through this screening does not reduce cancer risk.

What happens if I receive a positive result?

A positive result from this genetic screening indicates that a change is present in a gene that increases your risk for certain types of cancer. It does not mean that you have cancer. The specific cancer types and risk level depend on which gene has a change present. If you have a positive test result, you will receive a phone call from a HudsonAlpha genetic counselor to further explain your result and your recommended next steps, which include seeking an appointment with a clinical genetic counselor that specializes in cancer genetics. A negative result from this genetic screening indicates that no risk-increasing changes were identified in the genes tested. This does not guarantee that you will never develop cancer. It is important to consider that even in the absence of obvious genetic risk factors, each person in the general population is at a baseline risk of developing cancer.

A simple cheek swab can help empower you to make important healthcare decisions for you and your family.

Cancer is Scary

Let our researchers and genetic counselors answer questions about the risk for these cancers:

Kailos Test Kit

Simple to take test and easy to understand

The Information is Power test is mailed to you with a pre-stamped return envelope. The information you learn can be shared with your physician and might also be important to other members of your family. Our genetic counselors are always here to help explain positive results.

THANK YOU! to all our generous sponsors that have helped make Information is Power a powerful tool for our community over the past 5 years..

Help us continue the fight against cancer

One in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Last year alone, 284,200 cases will be diagnosed and 44,130 deaths will occur in the U.S. according to the National Cancer Institute. Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women because it can be difficult to diagnose early. Colorectal deaths in 2021 will top 52,980. At HudsonAlpha, our scientists are working to better understand these cancers and how they develop and spread, so we can diagnose earlier and develop more effective therapies. But today, women and men continue to be affected by these cancers, which is why we launched Information is Power and continue the initiative.
September 13, 2023
  • Sarah Sharman
  • Posted by Sarah Sharman

Sarah Sharman, PhD, reflects on the program's history and impact and sits down with Sara Cooper, PhD, Faculty Investigator, and Kristy Bell, Information is Power Program Coordinator, to talk about the program's recent expansion and their plans for the future.

March 17, 2021
  • Sarah Sharman
  • Posted by Sarah Sharman

HudsonAlpha and The Links, Inc, (Greater Huntsville Chapter) will host two virtual events March 23 and April 6 at 6:30pm to discuss how genes can impact your health, healthcare disparities, and how genetic testing and participation in genetic research have the potential to improve cancer outcomes for African Americans.

February 25, 2021
  • Sarah Sharman
  • Posted by Sarah Sharman

WAAY TV spoke with Sara Cooper, PhD, about the virtual Tie the...

February 25, 2021
  • Sarah Sharman
  • Posted by Sarah Sharman

HudsonAlpha hosted the annual Tie the Ribbons event on October 15, 2020...

December 15, 2020
  • Sarah Sharman
  • Posted by Sarah Sharman

An Everyday DNA blog article By: Sarah Sharman, PhD, Science Writer Did...

February 18, 2020
  • Sarah Sharman
  • Posted by Sarah Sharman

Faculty Investigator Sara Cooper, PhD, sat down with the Belle Curve Podcast...

Share the Power of Information

Sara Cooper, PhD

Faculty Investigator for HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and Information is Power Initiative Lead

Kristy Bell

Information is Power Project Coordinator

Our Team

Tanner Coleman, CGC, Kelly East, CGC, Elizabeth Herrin, Jessica Merritt, Jazmine Robinson, Cathleen Shaw, Adrianna Stout

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