Blood Brother: The Gene That Rocked My Family offers a brave and nuanced take on one of the most radioactive issues of our times: genetic testing. When her beloved brother, Jim, is diagnosed with Huntington's disease - a fatal brain disease - author Mona Gable is suddenly thrust into alien, frightening territory without a road map to guide her. Still, as she recovers from the shock of her brother's death, decisions must be made. To get tested or not? To inform her children that they may also be at risk? To speak openly and publicly about a disease that historically has been cloaked in secrecy and shame? This is a must-listen for anyone who has grappled with similar issues or who suspects that they, too, may have inherited a deadly gene.
Gable writes about women's issues, health, science, travel, and international issues. Her work has appeared in Prevention, Fast Company, Los Angeles Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Pacific Standard, the Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. From 2011 to 2013, she was the feminist editor of BlogHer.com and has been a contributor to the Huffington Post since 2006. Her essays have appeared in several anthologies, including The Maternal Is Political: Women Writers at the Intersection of Motherhood and Social Change and the best-selling collection of Salon essays, Mothers Who Think: Tales of Real-Life Parenthood. She is also a facilitator with the OpEd Project, a venture aimed at increasing the range of voices shaping public opinion.