PROJECT NARRATIVE: Genetic counseling and health education are essential components of any early diagnosis program for sickle cell disease to ensure that risk results are effectively communicated by healthcare workers to those at-risk couples and their families. These are also important within the context of culture and health literacy because health beliefs and attitudes of the general public have a significant impact on health seeking behaviors that substantially influence reproductive decisions made by individuals and families.

PROJECT NARRATIVE At least 15% of children with cancer have an underlying genetic cause of their cancer, requiring significant counseling regarding therapy modifications, cancer surveillance, and lifestyle changes for both the patient and their family. There is a shortage of qualified genetic counselors available to meet with these families, especially in the stressful setting of cancer diagnosis.