Genetic Test

‘Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.’ (James 4:14)

Genetic test Genetic test becomes a talking point recently when Angelina Jolie, 37, had a double mastectomy after learning from the genetic test that she carried a faulty BRCA1 gene which gives her an 87% chance of getting breast cancer and 50% chance for ovarian cancer. Her mother died of ovarian cancer at the age of 56. She will also go for oophorectomy in future.

This type of surgery involves removing as much of the ‘at-risk’ tissue as possible. But since it is not possible to do it completely, the doctor may prescribe natural or synthetic substances such as the drug, Tamoxifen, to further reduce the cancer risk. Genetic test for breast and ovarian cancer is the most sought after as compared to other types of cancer (such as pancreatic) as a woman can surgically remove her breasts and the whole reproductive system, and still functions normally notwithstanding having to bear some side-effects.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 (*) are human genes known as tumor suppressors. Mutation of these genes has been linked to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. If a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation is found, several options are available to help a person manage her cancer risk. Some hints of the existence of hereditary factors:

1. Cancers occurring at younger ages than usual

2. More than one type of cancer in a single person

3. Cancers occurring in both of a pair of organs (e.g. both breasts)

4. Similar cancer in a set of siblings

The test normally begins with a family member who has breast or ovarian cancer. If that person is found to have a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, then other family members can be tested to see if they also have the mutation. A positive test result provides information only about a person’s risk of developing cancer. It cannot tell whether that person will actually develop cancer or when. On the other hand, having a negative test result does not mean that a person will not develop cancer. It just means that the person’s risk of cancer is probably the same as that of people in the general population. It is possible for a person to have a mutation in a gene other than BRCA1 or BRCA2 that increases her cancer risk but is not detectable by the tests used.

Frankly speaking, my medical oncologist has never mentioned such test during consultations and I do not know much about it till recently. May be I shall ask her the next time when I see her. A positive test result may have an effect on one’s emotions, relationships, finances, and medical choices etc. It may even have bearing on one’s insurance policies, employment. Anyway, it is not cheap to do such test over here. I read from newspapers that it is somewhere between S$ 2500-3500.

Currently, hereditary cancers are still not common in this country. Older generations (our parents) are healthier and have long life-span but I am not so sure of my generation, worst, the younger generation, giving the deteriorating physical environment and the lifestyles we are in. May be more people will  go for such test in future.

(*) BRCA1: breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 /BRCA2 : breast cancer susceptibility gene 2

'Health & Wealth' gospel

‘For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.’ (2 Timothy 4:3)

The trial of the leaders of a prominent church will commence soon, undoubtedly it will bring spotlight to the teachings and practices of the ‘Wealth and Health’ gospel. It is very sad indeed to see that many of the contemporary churches strive to be market- driven or seeker-driven in order to attract people. Church can degenerate into a place where one gets ‘feeling good’ effects from the charismatic preachers, stage performances etc. It looks that pastors are ‘worshipped’ than God.

Every bible verse can be quoted out of context to support erroneous teachings. The Wealth and Health gospel is just one of the many. Its doctrines mainly centers on three aspects: Giving, Positive Confession and Faith. Giving is positively correlated to material blessings one receives from God. That provides the motive for donations to the church. Positive confession implies that when one confesses ‘positive’ things, he will get positive things in life. Lastly, the definition of faith it promotes is you must have faith in your ‘own faith’. So if you pray for healing and not healed, it is because you lack in faith, blame yourself.

Where is the message of love, suffering, truth, holiness, humility etc? We know that in real life our Christian experiences said otherwise. Adversities, disappointments, struggles etc are part and parcel of life. May be devout Christians encountered more of these things. Those ‘mountain-top’ experiences are rare and far between, and are incapable of sustain one’s faith in the long run. Christianity is not a one-off conversion, but a process which involves the transformation of one’s intellectual, moral and relational dimensions. The challenge is not just believe mentally but how to translate the biblical truths into wisdom for everyday living.

Mother's Day

‘The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.’(Proverbs 30:17)

The very word ‘mother’ often evokes a flood of thoughts and memories (mostly sweet). There are countless of books written on the theme of mother’s love. I remember some years ago there was a tussle between a divorced couple in the court over the custody of their only son. The father tried to depict the mother as uncaring and neglected the welfare of the child. However, the judge was unconvinced and ruled that the father was over-exaggerated. He didn't have to watch how a mother buffalo protected her calf from the seven lions on her own in Youtube to come to that conclusion!

Recently my daughter asked me to dispose of her unwanted school reading materials. I browsed through them, one article written by the famous Chinese actress, Gongli, caught my attention. In that, she paid special tributes to her mother. I thought it is appropriate to share this article this Mother’s Day :

“我在演艺圈漂泊了几年之后，蓦然发现我最为钟情的地方是家，是家人的亲情、纯朴的家风和亲人团聚时的那种甜甜的味道。

在拍戏小憩的时候，在异乡漫步的时候，我的脑海出现最多的是家，有时是家中餐桌上的那盘风味咸菜，有时是妈妈身上的那件破旧的毛衣。我问自己，为什么会想起这些?

慢慢地我懂了，心会随家一起走。因为家滋润了我、培育了我。无论我走到哪里，家的风气、家的精神都会在我的行为中延续，产生新的活力。家已深深扎根在我的心里。

作为公众人物，被人误解、甚至被人贬损是常有的事，自己深感心力疲惫，孤独也是常有的。这时我一定会想起家。一想到家，我就会有力量。家一直作为一种力量支撑我、伴随我，我前行的步履才变得轻盈。

和黄和祥结婚前，我专程回老家接母亲赴香港参加婚礼，才得知母亲患了重病住在医院。当时，我的心情很复杂，深深地陷入了两难境地。作为她老人家惟一的女儿，我没有理由在她要做随时都有生命危险的手术之时不在她的身边，但在香港举行的婚礼请柬已经发出，如被媒体探知延期，会对我产生什么后果，我不用想也知道。

母亲以更改婚期对我不吉利为由，坚持要我先期回港；三个哥哥要我以公众信誉为重，如期举行婚礼。他们都是我至爱的亲人，他们的理解让我觉得我立足于社会不是孤单的，我不仅仅是为自己而工作。我油然升腾出一种力量。

母亲有一件绛紫色套头毛衣，是我几年前为她买的，被虫子咬过，已经很旧了。母亲得了脑血栓之后，右臂抬上抬下有困难，穿套头衫很费劲儿。我想给她买件开衫，淘汰这件旧的，母亲不允。她请姨母帮忙，把毛衣中间剪开，找颜色接近的毛线织了一条边，把套头改成了开衫。

我看着母亲这样做，真是很感动，他们那代人都是伴着苦和汗生活的，现在儿女有条件让他们享福了，他们为什么还这样?这就是一种观念、一种精神。这些东西潜移默化地渗透在我的生命里，影响着我，我做任何事，别无选择地带着家的印迹。

有一次，在饭店吃完饭打包回家，有位记者写了《巩俐吃不了“兜”着走》一文。其实，我妈每次都这样。妈妈有一句说了很多遍的名言：“谁也没有资格糟蹋粮食。”那次，我和妈妈一起在外边吃饭，要的鲫鱼汤上晚了，每人只是象征性地喝了一口。我觉得汤不好拿，就说算了。妈妈说：“不行。”她让小姐把剩汤倒出去，把鲫鱼和豆腐装包带回家。第二天，我们喝到了她重新做的白白的鲫鱼豆腐汤。

可能很多人都不相信，我经常到北京的“秀水街”地摊买衣服，一是因为我平时的衣着都很简单，那地摊上的衣服就能满足我的需要；二是因为我一直认为，在日常生活中，没有必要把自己包装得雍荣华贵而脱离最舒适、最人本化的生活，也就是说，身外的一切都是为人服务的。这就是家给予我的最基本的生活认识。只要不是演戏和应酬，我平时几乎不戴任何首饰。我不喜欢珠光宝气，因为母亲就是这样。她70多岁的人，没扎过耳朵眼儿。这是很少见的。她甚至像对小孩那样给我讲奢华的弊端。我给她买过的一些首饰，她从来不戴，似乎她的乐趣只在收藏。

剖析成功者的家庭，我们会看到在那些家庭土壤里长着勤奋、俭朴、上进、诚实的大树，每一棵大树都能给家人必需的成长绿荫。从这样的家庭走出来的人，不管辉煌与否，起码在做人上是会得到一致肯定的。

我觉得，家不仅仅是港湾，在你累的时候，让你停泊、休息，家最重要的功能是充气筒，无论是你累了，还是你受到伤害了，家都能给你充足气，让你重新鼓起生命的风帆。

我能有今天，非常感谢父母为我营造了一个积极向上的家，这个家给了我巨大的支撑力，而且会一直支持我走下去。”