Tuesday, October 17, 2017

The Family Gene - Joselin Linder

Joselin Linder writes a book that is one half memoir and another medical mystery.   She describes watching her physician father become more and more unwell, while doctors struggle to figure out what is wrong with him.  It is not until other family members succumb to the same symptoms and problems, that the family and doctors begin to realize that this disease that only affects their family has a genetic cause.

With advances in genetic testing many of the family bring themselves forward to be tested, and after Joselin and her sister both test positive, it them forces them into making many ethical choices about whether to have children or not and what treatments to undergo, when there is no proven treatment plan.

Fascinating stuff - it makes you wonder what you would do in a similar circumstance and you have to admire her bravery for writing this book. 5/5

1 comment:

John Bellen said...

Wow, that one does sound interesting. A bit of a 'whatdunit', in a way, only more tragic, since it's real.