Learn About Us

Check Your Genes exists because we know a simple test can change lives, and not enough people know about it.

Approximately 10 percent of breast and ovarian cancer cases are hereditary, and for those with the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 genes, knowledge is power. Check Your Genes’ founder Nancy Romer received the news that she had late stage ovarian cancer at age 32. Her mother and her maternal aunt lost battles to breast cancer, but it wasn’t until after her diagnosis she learned she carried the cancer gene.

In order to make sure other families didn’t have to face the same situation, Nancy and her family started Check Your Genes in 2007 to advocate for others who have a family history of the breast or ovarian cancer but don’t know a simple blood test can help them take proactive steps to prevent a cancer diagnosis later.

At Check Your Genes we know increased awareness and improved education regarding the importance of family history to breast and ovarian cancer can save lives. We also believe as more people understand the availability and utility of genetic testing, more people will use genetic counseling services and genetic testing with a goal of finding out if they have the gene prior to a cancer diagnosis. We aim to help and encourage the medical community to do more to educate people about the links between breast and ovarian cancer and heredity.

Nancy Romer lost her 8-year battle with ovarian cancer in December 2009. Check Your Genes will continue in her memory to make sure that others never have to face a cancer diagnosis because cancer is in their genes. The organization will fulfill its mission in 2010 and beyond by raising funds to develop PSAs and public outreach campaigns to build awareness of genetic testing for the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 genes.

Our Funding

Check Your Genes has filed to be designated as a 501(c)(3) public charity and currently is on the list of funds that can receive tax-deductible donations through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (please be sure to reference Check Your Genes when donating through GCF).   We welcome your donations to help us fund awareness campaigns throughout the United States.