When Julie Hess and Dr. Joanne Weidhaas met as second graders in Michigan, it was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. “I called her by her nickname, Jonie, and she called me Jules,” Julie remembered. “She’s a twin, and she and her brother and I were like siblings. We grew up together straight through high […]
MiraKind
‘For Me, It’s Good to Know’
Stephanie Czajkowski is one of those actors who, when you see her on a television program or movie screen, you say to yourself, “Wait, haven’t I seen her before?” You probably have. Stephanie was the Vulcan science officer T’Veen in the last season of Picard, played Hammerhead for four seasons in the DC Universe’s series […]
The KRAS-variant and Second Cancer Risk
A second cancer diagnosis is often a concern of cancer patients. Although it seems unfair to have to go through the whole cancer journey again, the good news is that it is not very common to be diagnosed with a second independent cancer. Second cancers happen in approximately 1 in 6 cancer survivors.13,14 The reasons […]
Hereditary Breast Cancer and How to Get Checked
Breast cancer can be caused by hereditary factors, environmental factors, or both. In this blog post, we will discuss what hereditary breast cancer is, the known genetic variants associated with it, and how to get checked if you think you may be at risk. Understanding Hereditary Breast Cancer People with hereditary breast cancer were born […]
What are “Normal” Estrogen Levels in Women?
Estrogen is a powerhouse hormone in a woman’s body. It plays an essential role in sexual development, the reproductive system, the immune system, and overall health. While there are medically normal ranges of estrogen levels in women, based on where you may be in life and/or your menstrual cycle, there is no reliable way to […]
Talking About Family History of Cancer With New Partners and Loved Ones
As we grow older and enter middle age, thoughts about our health and its implications for the future become more pronounced: particularly when it comes to cancer. The mere mention of “the big ‘C’” is enough to prompt us to change the subject, or even experience feelings of panic. This is even more stressful when […]
How to Find a Menopause Doctor
Menopause happens to all women at some point in their lives. Even though it is a normal and natural process, there is still a gap in knowledge surrounding menopause — nearly half of women surveyed globally in 20231 did not feel informed about menopause. Additionally, healthcare professionals, including OB/GYNs, do not have any mandatory training […]
Menopause and Mental Health
May is mental health awareness month, so this month we want to talk about menopause and mental health. Did you know that depression in women doubles around menopause?1,2 While most people know about hot flashes and menopause, many do not know that those same hormonal shifts often cause mental health changes.1,3 The hormonal changes that […]
What are the First Signs of Menopause?
The first signs of menopause are the symptoms women experience during a period called perimenopause, which can start up to 10 years before menopause. Since menopause is defined by not having a period for a year, most of the symptoms we associate with menopause (aka hot flashes) actually begin during perimenopause. At MiraKind, we believe perimenopause […]
Breast Cancer Risk Factors in Women
Last month, we looked at two different types of genetic variants: BRCA variants and the KRAS-variant. Both BRCA and KRAS are pathogenic variants that are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. In this month’s blog post, we’re going to dive into the general accepted breast cancer risk factors. To give you a high […]
Understanding different genetic causes of cancer: BRCA variants vs. the KRAS-variant
This post explores BRCA variants vs. the KRAS-variant and is part two of our series on understanding the different genetic causes of cancer. In part one of our series, we compared genetic variants and mutations, specifically the KRAS-variant and KRAS mutations. Quick recap on genetics and cancer development In our last blog post, we learned […]
Understanding the different causes of cancer: genetic variants vs. genetic mutations
Learn more about how our genes play a role in cancer development in this two-part series comparing different genetic variants and genetic mutations. For Part 1, we’ll discuss the KRAS-variant and KRAS mutations. Genes and cancer development: Gene Variants vs Mutations Cancer is caused by genetic differences in the DNA you are born with, by […]
