Staff Spotlight: Empowered by Genetics

Chelsey Weatherill, MS

Licensed, Certified Genetic Counselor Hoag Family Cancer Institute, Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute

From the age of 16, Chelsey Weatherill has been passionate about studying genetics. That passion, and philanthropic support, brought her to a career at Hoag, where she is a licensed, certified genetic counselor. Genetic counseling is the process of investigating individuals and families affected by or at risk of genetic disorders to help them understand and adapt to the medical, psychological, and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease. In 2021, Chelsey brought her expertise to the Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute, helping identify individuals with genetic mutations, including those related to aortic disease and disorders of connective tissue.

Through a blood sample or swab of saliva, she can identify gene mutations and uncover conditions hidden for generations, often helping a family detect and ideally prevent medical emergencies from happening.

“Sometimes, families don’t know about these conditions, and the first sign is an aortic dissection or sudden death. We’d like to avoid that at all costs.”

Once there is a diagnosis, Chelsey guides patients through the task of informing other family members who may be impacted, finding support resources and helping facilitate testing for other relatives whether they are local or across the country. Though discovering a life-changing health condition can be difficult, Chelsey knows her role and that of other genetic counselors is vital in helping patients and their families be informed about their health.

“Genetic counseling combines being a counselor, an educator, and detective work to figure out what the best test is and what’s going on in the family,” Chelsey said.