As families gather this holiday season, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) urges all Utahns to make time to talk about their family health history. To help families learn more about this important tool, the UDOH is sponsoring the ‘Tell Us Your Story!’ contest.

Tell Us Your Story! invites Utahns to learn about their family health history and then submit a story about how this experience has impacted their lives. Stories may be submitted as a written essay, video, or photograph. The contest deadline is Monday, January 8, 2007.

Bountiful resident Marian Gleason is eager to share her story in the hope it will encourage others to learn about their health history and take action to prevent diseases in their own families. Gleason watched her grandparents, parents, uncles, and several of her nine brothers and sisters suffer from or die of heart attacks in their early 40s and 50s.

“Knowing your family history could help save your life,” Gleason said. “If my relatives had known what signs to look for, they could have changed their lifestyles,” she added. “I am so aware of our family’s health issues and am constantly talking to my children and grandchildren about the importance of exercising and eating well,” Gleason said.

Winners of Tell Us Your Story! will have the chance to share their experience with all Utahns to promote the importance of documenting family health history. Ten winners each will receive a free one-hour consultation at the Family History Library, where a professional genealogist will give custom advice on their personal research. Winners will be announced by January 31, 2007. Prizes have been donated by Heirlines Family History and Genealogy.

Chronic health problems like heart disease, stroke, asthma, cancer and diabetes tend to run in families. When close family members have the same health problem or develop an illness problem at a younger age than expected, other family members can be at higher risk of developing the same conditions. The good news is, by learning about your family health history, you can make healthy choices to lower your risk.

For more information regarding the Tell Us Your Story! contest or how to collect a family health history, visit www.health.utah.gov/genomics o r call Jenny Johnson at 801-538-9416

# # #