[13hours]

Genetically I have a 50% chance of getting Parkinsons. My father was diagnosed earlier this year, and 2 of his 4 siblings already have it. There's a medical study being done on our family to try and identify the gene responsible, but we already know my cousins and I have a 50% chance. I'm not sure I'd even want to know whether it's 100% if they were able to do the tests. Not until there's a possible cure for it. Knowing won't change anything if I can't do anything about it. I guess I'm still in denial, trying to just ignore it away for now.

I just hope there's a cure by the time my children (6 and 3 now) get to my age, otherwise I'll advise them to think hard about having children and passing on the gene.

[iooi]

Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm in a similar situation, did you have kids hoping that there would be a cure by now? Or were you not aware of the 50% chance when you had them?

[melling]

The average age for Parkinson symptoms is 60 years old. In the year 2070 I would hope we will have an effective treatment.

[Laaw]

Also, 60 years of life is well worth it.

[melling]

You can easily live 10 or 20 years after you get it. I think Michael J Fox and Andy Grove have had it for almost 20 years.

[13hours]

I didn't know at that stage. I don't know if it would have influenced me to not have children.