The first presentation of AJA’s Community Speakers series features Caroline and Randy Gold, founders of Jewish Gene Screen. The Golds will share the story of their personal journey, and how JScreen evolved as a result. Saliva screening kits will be available for on-site or take-home testing, as well as gift certificates for a test kit for yourself or a loved one. There is no charge to attend this event.
With great courage, the Golds used their own family tragedy to create Jewish Gene Screen to help ensure others have healthy children of their own. The Gold’s lives changed dramatically in August 2009 when, at 18 months old, their daughter was diagnosed with Mucolipidosis Type IV, a horrible and preventable Jewish genetic disease. Devastated and surprised, because they already had a healthy son and were previously screened for Jewish Genetic Diseases, the Golds eventually learned that they were only screened for 8 of a possible 19 known diseases. They also learned that there is no standard testing panel.
In its first year, Jewish Gene Screen has participated in hundreds of events and regularly meets with doctors and rabbis from across the community while increasing screenings in Atlanta by over 400%. Through Jewish Gene Screen, the Golds are creating a new norm so that every rabbi mentions screening in premarital counseling, doctors offer screening to patients, and every new couple knows to get tested for the 19 known preventable diseases before they walk down the aisle.
Contact:
Jill Ovadia
(770)451-5299
jovadia@atljewishacademy.org
