Dinner and Dialogue on Hereditary Cancer Risk 

Thinking about your cancer risk is not easy.

To help young people in our community faced with the problem of genetic testing for hereditary cancers, BRCAinBC is now offering a program designed to help raise awareness about the topic while also offering the opportunity to bond over a delicious meal.

Watch the Video:

Why Dinner and Dialogue on hereditary cancer?

Dinner and Dialogue was developed as an innovative tool to engage young adults in thoughtful conversations about their health and understand their increased risk of hereditary cancers as people of Jewish ancestry. It’s an approach designed to meet people ‘where they’re at,’ help them evaluate their personal values and think about their choices regarding how they manage their health in a low-key, fun and engaging way.

So why did we develop this tool?

Here are some facts:

  • The risk of inheriting the BRCA gene is 1 in 40 in Ashkenazi Jews and 1 in 140 in Sephardi Jews.

  • We know the best time to get tested for the BRCA gene mutations is before cancer starts.

  • Cancers caused by BRCA gene mutations can often be detected early and prevented.

  • Most Jewish young adults are unaware of the risk. 67% of our participants said they had little to no knowledge of their hereditary cancer risk or the BRCA genes before they participated in the program.

  • Genetic testing for Jewish young adults can be quick, simple, easy and free. Young adults with Jewish ancestry currently qualify for the Jewish BRCA testing program through BC Cancer. You can learn more here.

Through conversations, Dinner and Dialogue events:

  • Promote awareness.

  • Encourage self-determination in health decision-making.

  • Help reduce anxiety about hereditary cancers by allowing participants to articulate their fears and build understanding.

  • Empower members of the Jewish community to take informed actions toward preventing future cancers.

Dinner and Dialogue events are:

  • Easy to host (according to hosts!)

  • Simple to integrate into existing organizational programming.

  • Highly rated by participants. 93% of participants say they enjoyed the quality of the conversations, and 80% increased their knowledge of the BRCA genes.

  • Emotionally safe and inclusive. Most participants highly rate the level of emotional safety of the conversations and language used in the program to be highly inclusive.

  • Valuable to the young adult Jewish community.

Some organizations who have hosted Dinner and Dialogues

  • Congregation Beth Israel Vancouver Young Adults Program

  • Temple Sholom Sisterhood

  • The University of Victoria’s Hillel House

  • The University of British Columbia's Hillel House

We invite Jewish community leaders interested in helping their peers and community members to contact us to learn more about the program and host a Dinner and Dialogue in the future.  

"To eat is to meet" - Danziger

  • Learn more about how Dinner and Dialogue can work for you.

    Learn more

  • Take a look at insights and media from previous events.

    Learn more

  • Contact us for more information on organizing your event.

    Begin the journey!

OUR PROGRAM SUPPORTERS

  • Hillel BC

    PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

  • Michael Smith Health Research Foundation

    FUNDER

  • Connect Me In

    PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

  • Diamond Family Foundation

    FUNDER

  • Congregation Beth Israel

    PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

  • Temple Sholom

    PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

  • Gynecologic Cancer Initiative

    UNIVERSITY PARTNER

  • BRCAinBC

    COMMUNITY LEAD