Blog Post

“Man finds out beloved son isn’t really his!”
“He’s not your son.”
We’re familiar with sensational headlines and statements like this, telling the stories of men who find out that the child they believed was biologically theirs, in fact, isn’t.

While misattributed paternity across society only accounts for between 1 and 3 per cent of all cases, this still leaves millions of children around the world being raised by men who have no reason to ask “Am I really your father?” When a relationship breaks down, things can sometimes become complicated and confusing, and some men can find themselves in situations in which they are required to prove their paternity.

There are various reasons that someone would request a paternity test, including child support claims and custody cases. DNA testing is the most accurate way of proving or disproving paternity, and in Australia, all testing must comply with the Family Law Act 1975.

GTL offers a range of paternity tests that can assist in the process. The Home Paternity Test provides a simple, discreet way of testing for peace of mind, and is a premium comprehensive marker test in which both samples are compared for commonalities in the genetic code. Despite providing accurate results, it must be highlighted that this test will not be accepted in a legal court.

In Australia, almost all government departments require DNA paternity tests to be NATA accredited for the results to be admissible in court. For this reason, GTL strongly advocates that their NATA Accredited DNA Paternity Test is used for all legal related matters. The process for undertaking this test is thorough, requiring a legal sign off by a Justice of the Peace and a medical professional to ensure it meets the requirements for the courts.

GTL customer Dave Graham knows the importance of choosing the right paternity test the first time.

‘I’d previously taken GTL’s Home Paternity Test after the birth of my son, as I had some concerns about my partner’s fidelity. Everything came back in my favour which put my mind at ease, and I thought it would be useful to keep as proof of paternity.
However, when our relationship eventually broke down, I wanted to fight for greater custody of my son. His mother had some negative influences in her life which I was not happy about, and I wanted to provide him with the best possible childhood. This led to legal proceedings where I soon realised that the Home Paternity Test was not legally binding. With the hurtful claims of “He’s not your son.” “He’s not yours,” used against me in court, I again approached GTL again to undertake the NATA Accredited DNA Paternity Test, the only test legally binding by Australian courts.

From the minute I requested the NATA accredited paternity test, they were professional, easy to deal with and discrete. Their results arrived in time to support my court case, and revealed that my son was 99% biologically mine, a perfect result that I always knew in my heart was true.’

Ensuring that you choose the right test from GTL for your particular paternity issue can lay to rest any concerns or questions you may have, and save you from extended legal processes. Above all, confirming your paternity will alleviate the huge emotional burden that is associated with relationship breakdowns where children are involved.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, affecting around 13% of women in their lifetime. Although rarely seen in men, it does exist, affecting around 1%.
Despite a marked improvement in survival rates for breast cancer, it still has the capacity to change, impact and devastate the lives of many.
Of all the disease and illness awareness initiatives we have in Australia, none is more familiar, nor closer to our hearts, than that of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which runs from October 1 – 31.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month puts the focus on the disease, those affected by it, and the research being done to help one day find a cure. The best chance to fight and survive breast cancer is early detection.
Women are encouraged to note any changes in their breasts, including:
• any kind of lump, especially if it’s only in one breast
• a change in the size or shape of your breast
• any changes to the nipple, including discharge
• a change in the skin texture of your breast such as redness or dimpling
• breast pain that doesn’t go away.
Early detection is often the difference between keeping or losing a breast (although sometimes, a partial or full mastectomy is the best or only option), and can even prolong your life.

GTL can assist in the early detection process, with their oncology screening test which analyses the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. These genes are commonly called ‘tumour suppressors’, and mutations can increase the risk of breast cancer. Tumour suppressor genes essentially prevent cells from dividing too rapidly, so when a mutation of the genes occurs, there is a failure to control and protect the genetic material within the cells, which can lead to breast, ovarian, pancreatic and endometrial cancer.
As many as 5-10% of all breast cancers and 20-25% of hereditary breast cancers are caused by mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

Research shows that people with inherited mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes develop cancer at younger ages than those who do not have these mutations, so the earlier a test is performed, the better chance of an early detection and treatment.

GTL’s genetic screening test involves a simple blood test, and using Next Generation Sequencing Technology, extracts the DNA from the blood cells, then analyses the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. It should be noted that the test requires a referral from your GP, but once you order the test, GTL will send you all necessary paperwork for you and your GP to complete.
One woman who will be celebrating her triumphs and remembering her battles during Breast Cancer Awareness Month is Marilyn Jacobs. Marilyn knows first-hand how devastating a breast cancer diagnosis can be, on the individual, and to family and loved ones. Diagnosed at 68 after noticing something ‘not quite right’ during a breast self-examination, and knowing that she had a family history of cancer, Marilyn sought further clarification from her medical practitioner, and was eventually diagnosed with Grade 3 (high grade) breast cancer.

Marilyn’s first thoughts when hearing her diagnosis were, “If you’re going to get cancer then breast is best!” “I thought they’d just remove my breasts and I’d be done with it, and I’d get on with my life!”
Marilyn’s treatment included a mastectomy, coupled with more than five months of chemotherapy.
“There was so much support available for me during my treatment, there was information on wigs, support groups in my area, makeup classes for self-esteem, and even small things like a diary to record my journey. These groups do wonders for cancer patients and their families.”

Marilyn, like many other Australians, is looking forward to seeing progress in the field of research to directly target cancer cells, which would decrease the need for chemotherapy, a treatment she says is far worse, and brought about more changes to her health than the cancer itself.
“I think that my overall health has been the thing that has suffered the most, my stamina levels have never returned to the same level as they were pre-cancer, and I definitely have the much talked about ‘chemo brain.’”

Marilyn, like many other cancer survivors, would recommend genetic screening tests to anyone who wanted a starting point to make decisions about their health, as at this stage, the preservation of health is easier than the cure of the disease.

To find a Breast Cancer Awareness Month event local to you, go to: https://www.bcna.org.au/events/2018/
For comprehensive information about breast cancer, and to hear heartfelt stories of courage, go to: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

To say that a woman’s life in the twenty-first century is busy is an understatement.
We’re constantly told that we can do it all, that we can have it all, that we should be constantly striving to meet what seem like impossible standards in all facets of our lives.
We prioritise our partners, our children, our families and our friends, putting their needs before our own, time and again.
As much as we all love pleasing everyone in our orbit, sometimes, as the saying goes, ‘something’s gotta give.’

Women’s Health Week is right around the corner, running from September 3-7, and is a timely reminder to get off the monotonous treadmill, celebrate our worth, and consider how we can optimise our own health, so that we can continue to be the best for our loved ones, and more importantly, for ourselves.

Founded in honour of renowned medical practitioner, Dr. Jean Hailes, Women’s Health Week is about putting ourselves first, and making positive health changes that can last throughout our lives.
The changes we make can also influence other women to take steps towards a healthier overall lifestyle. The week attracts the support of businesses, community organisations, sporting clubs and last year boasted more than 1500 health related events held around the country.
GTL are strong supporters of helping every woman live her healthiest life, and offer a suite of DNA tests that can assist in achieving specific health goals, or provide peace of mind for a range of health questions. A number of GTL’s targeted tests align perfectly with the themes presented during this year’s Women’s Health Week.

GTL’s Personal Genome Analysis allows women to gain further insight into their individual genetic makeup and how it might influence their lives. This fits in well with day 1 of Women’s Health Week, which focuses on bringing silent and seldom talked about topics out in to the open. The Personal Genome Analysis provides client with information and recommendations on how to reduce the risk of developing a range of diseases, including:
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Celiac disease
• Colorectal cancer
• Heart attack
• Multiple sclerosis
• Psoriasis
• Restless leg syndrome
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Women’s Health Week also focuses on the importance of mental wellbeing, and hormone management, two vital factors on any woman’s overall health agenda.
GTL’s Karmagenes Personality Test can help women to gain insight into their personality traits, based on their DNA. Karmagenes is a psychological assessment which analyses the ‘Big 5’ personality traits, and is the most widely accepted and used model of personality to study personality in terms of how it changes over time and how it relates to other variables.
The Karmagenes Personality Test can help women to find out more about themselves, what genetically makes them tick, and can provide insight into a number of personality traits that you may have been questioning endlessly, without answers.
Many woman these days find themselves, ‘wired and tired’, a term that aptly describes those of us who are burning the candle at both ends, and are, to put it simply, utterly exhausted. We’ve neglected our health, and fitness, what was that again?
They say that the first step is often the hardest, so why not take the first big leap towards a healthier you by taking a simple, painless, individualised DNA test from the NutriFit family of tests?

Utilising Next Generation Sequencing Technology, all NutriFit tests comprise 35 different analyses and assess over 100 genetic variations that affect personal metabolism and physical characteristics. Find out how your body processes a range of different foods, and receive personalised recommendations about which eating plans and exercise regimes are most suited to your genetic makeup. Coupled with the information you will learn during Women’s Health Week, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a less stressed, and a more ‘prepared for anything’ type of woman!

So why not let GTL make your Women’s Health Week into a Women’s Health Forever?
Find a Women’s Health Week event in your area. Participate and celebrate with like-minded woman who are passionate about living a well-balanced, healthy life.
To help you embrace your health and wellness goals and unlock the true potential of you, there is no time like now to organise a safe, non-invasive DNA test of your choice through GTL, a proud advocate of optimal health and wellbeing for all women.

#myhealthfirst #generation

Parenting. It’s full of rewards, challenges, stresses and happy moments.
Parenting also brings about a wealth of worry, because babies, toddlers, tweens and teenagers unfortunately don’t come with an instruction manual!
From the happy announcement of a pregnancy, we stress about so many things.
‘Is my baby growing healthily?’
‘Am I eating enough nutritious food to nourish my baby?’
‘Should I get tested for this genetic condition?’
Our minds race constantly, and the list of things to consider is never ending.
Then, one magical day, our baby arrives, red faced and screaming, and just perfect. Cue another set of worries.
‘Is my baby eating, sleeping, pooing enough?’
‘My baby isn’t reaching her milestones, should I be worried?’

We do everything we can to ensure our babies and children are happy, safe and healthy throughout their lives, for our own peace of mind, and to take action if anything needs to be done.
GTL wants parents to provide their children with the best start in life, and can help alleviate some of the worry that parents experience. Nova is GTL’s newborn genetic test, and is appropriate for newborns through to five years of age.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics indicate that each year, more than 4500 babies are born with defects that are diagnosed at birth, or soon after.
Every state in Australia currently offers screening for five of the most common conditions, including congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis and a number of amino acid disorders.
NOVA is a screening test which encompasses 50 inherited disorders. The test can prove a vital tool in the early detection, referral and subsequent treatment of babies and children who identify as being at a high risk of developing the screened disorders.

With a 99% accuracy rate, NOVA provides information pertaining to a host of potentially manageable disorders, and uses Next Generation sequencing technology to determine the likeliness of your precious bundle having an adverse reaction to 20 medications.
The test is suited to newborns, those who have hit the terrible twos, all the way up to feisty five year olds.
Children with a history of inherited disorders, those from a demographic with an increased risk of genetic disease, and those who may have missed their regular screening are strongly encouraged to take the NOVA test.

NOVA is an easy and logical step to take in alleviating some of the worry that comes with being a modern day parent. It is the ideal gift to give yourself, and your infant, for some postnatal peace of mind.