Three weeks after my diagnosis, my younger sister was also diagnosed, so the genetic counselling and testing became more urgent as I still was to have my surgery. Getting an appointment for counselling was through the oncologist who had to ask for an early appointment as counsellor was booked up for a few months. Full family history (not startling until the above) and discussion about implications of positive findings for us as individuals and for the family. Only my sister would have qualified for free BRCA testing as you have to meet a threshold that includes age and type of tumour (we had different ones!). Decided to both pay for Color saliva testing as it tested for 30 cancer causing genes not only breast but others, (about 400 dollars each) and results within less than a month from the US. Fortunately no genes found of relevance. Was told that if positive, next step would have been to test our parents wrt to which side of the family as it has relevance for extended family and for males and females. All the best.
