ADVERT I SEMENT F EATURE
EMPOWERING PEOPLE: GENETIC COUNSELLING IN FOCUS A new exhibition, open 19 October to 20 June, demystifies genetic counselling
in their working environments. Like the people that they support, we see them as individuals. The images encourage us to imagine the experience of being in these spaces and the interactions that happen in them. Visit the exhibition on the third Saturday of each month, when the Wellcome Genome Campus is open for you to explore! Open Saturdays are also your chance to meet staff, try hands-on activities and explore the Campus to discover its history and the cutting-edge science that happens there today. It’s an ideal trip for curious people of all ages; come and discover the exciting world of genomics in creative and delightful ways. Open Saturdays are free for everyone, but booking is required. Get your tickets to an Open Saturday at open-saturdays.eventbrite.co.uk
hat is genetic counselling, what does a genetic counsellor do, and who gets to see one? A new
exhibition at the Wellcome Genome Campus explores this vital but often little-known subject. The genome is our entire set of genetic instructions, encoded in DNA, which is packaged in pairs of chromosomes that we inherit from our biological parents. Changes in these instructions can cause a range of health conditions. Genetic counsellors are healthcare professionals trained to work with and support people at risk from, or who have been diagnosed with, such conditions. They draw on a range of different expertise: knowledge of genetics and risk factors, communication skills that explain jargon and make sense of complex situations, and counselling techniques that emotionally support a person. Empowering People: Genetic Counselling in Focus draws on the experiences of genetic counsellors, each specialising in
something different – from the clinic to research, policy and education. In the exhibition, you will follow the journeys of people referred for genetic counselling; from a first referral, the appointment, and the decision-making process necessary to take the steps that are right for them and for their family. It contains portrait photography by artist and documentary photographer, Chrystal Ding, that was specially commissioned for Empowering People . The portraits capture genetic counsellors
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