Vanessa Feltz a woman with long blonde hair on stage at an event in Manchester wearing a long dress

LBC Broadcaster Vanessa Feltz has chaired a reception at the Manchester Art Gallery, to raise awareness in the northwest of the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme.

Vanessa Feltz has chaired a reception at the Manchester Art Gallery, to raise awareness in the northwest of the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme.

The event, hosted by Jnetics and Chai Cancer Care in partnership with NHS England on Wednesday 15 January, was about continuing to drive awareness of the Jewish BRCA Testing Programme. The event was well attended by leading figures from NHS England and key stakeholders spanning the Jewish Community in Greater Manchester and beyond.

LBC Broadcaster Vanessa Feltz has chaired a reception at the Manchester Art Gallery, to raise awareness in the northwest of the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme. The event, hosted by Jnetics and Chai Cancer Care in partnership with NHS England on Wednesday 15 January, was about continuing to drive awareness of the Jewish BRCA Testing Programme. The event was well attended by leading figures from NHS England and key stakeholders spanning the Jewish Community in Greater Manchester and beyond.

Having Jewish genetic heritage increases the risk of having a BRCA gene fault or mutation: One in 40 Ashkenazi Jews will have a BRCA gene mutation, compared to one in 250 of the general UK population. Both men and women can have a BRCA gene fault, and can pass these on, unknowingly, to their children. To date, over 25,000 saliva test kits have been delivered across the England and around 11,000 tests have now been processed, with 235 people (2.1%) testing positive with a BRCA gene mutation.

Vanessa Feltz who chaired the event said:

My whole family has had the test and for me as a grandmother it is extremely important that we have the knowledge and power to mitigate against any cancer risk. The gene mutation has a 50% chance of being passed on to children through either their mother or father. My mother passed away from cancer and she was diagnosed too late and this programme allows us to have the vital knowledge we need.”

Professor Peter Johnson, Clinical Director for the NHS England cancer programme and Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Southampton said:

“It’s encouraging that so many people have come forward for testing and that hundreds living with an increased risk have been identified and can now be supported to make informed choices about monitoring and risk-reducing options.

We want as many people as possible to take advantage of this innovative testing programme, so please continue to come forward for a simple saliva test if you are eligible. If you are sitting on a testing kit at home, we encourage you to complete and return the testing kit. The majority of people won’t be variant carriers of the BRCA gene, but if you are, the NHS can provide you with appropriate screening or treatment.”

Professor Ranjit Manchanda, Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, Centre for Cancer Screening, Prevention & Early Diagnosis, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, and NHS Innovation Accelerator Alumnus commented:

“Having spent over 15 years leading the Genetic Cancer Prediction through Population Screening (GCaPPS) Study, it is incredible to see this come to fruition, with over 25,000 people with Jewish ancestry requested a free testing kit in the first year.

This has been a promising start to the campaign which can prevent many more cancers and save many more lives than we did earlier. Four in 10 ovarian and one in 10 breast cancers in the Jewish community are due to a BRCA gene fault and potentially preventable. The programme is part of NHSE’s Long Term Plan to catch more cancer early, when they are easier to treat or prevent them altogether.”

Jnetics CEO Nicole Gordon said:

“We are proud to be part of this ground-breaking programme that has proven to be a resounding success in the first year.  We are pleased with the uptake of the programme across all sectors of the community from the religious to the unaffiliated. Our mission now is to continue to drive awareness, giving individuals the opportunity to gain knowledge that will help mitigate against the impact of hereditary cancer and ultimately save lives.”

Lisa Steele, Chief Executive at Chai added:

“We know it can be daunting to test positive for the BRCA gene mutation. However, finding out means people can make informed choices and get the support they need from us at Chai Cancer Care, Jnetics and the NHS. For more than 30 years Chai Cancer Care has been supporting members of the Jewish community affected by a cancer diagnosis and this programme can have a life changing impact for generations to come.”

For more information about the testing programme, and access to a number of wider resources, visit www.jewishbrca.org.