Julian Barwell, Consultant Clinical Geneticist at University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL), has been supporting BBC Radio Derby’s ‘It Starts with You’ campaign which is helping to raise awareness of inherited cancer risks and encouraging people to learn more about their family medical history.
The campaign is being led by Breakfast Show presenter Becky Measures, who has shared her personal experience of carrying the BRCA1 gene mutation. BRCA1 is an inherited genetic change that can significantly increase a person’s risk of developing breast, ovarian, and some other cancers. Becky has spoken openly about her decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy and hopes to encourage more families to understand their risk and consider genetic testing where appropriate.
As part of the campaign, Julian appeared on Becky’s breakfast show to discuss the role of clinical genetics in supporting patients and families affected by inherited cancer conditions. He explained how genetics teams help identify inherited cancer risks and arrange testing for family members who may also be affected.
The campaign aims to encourage people to feel more comfortable talking about cancer within their families, understand conditions such as BRCA, and take steps to access testing.
Julian said: “Many inherited cancer conditions can be managed effectively when they are identified early. Understanding your family history and talking to relatives can help people better understand their own risk and access the right support, screening, or genetic testing. By raising awareness of hereditary cancers, we can help more people make informed decisions about their health and potentially prevent cancers from developing in the future.
“Campaigns like ‘It Starts with You’ play an important role in encouraging families to have those difficult conversations about their health. Becky’s willingness to share her own experience has helped shine a light on the risks of inherited cancers and why knowing your family history matters. The more awareness we can raise, the more people we can support to access testing that could save their life.”
Julian has also recently appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, where he discussed a cancer genetics storyline featured in The Archers and helped explain the role genetics can play in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
You can listen to Julian’s interview on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour (from 22:15) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002xdkt