In 2004, the U.S. Surgeon General declared Thanksgiving as National Family History Day to encourage Americans to learn more about their family histories while they are spending time together. Sharing family medical history information is important because it can help family members understand their risks for developing certain diseases such as cancer or coronary heart disease, which are the two most common diseases and causes of death in the United States. Family HealthLink is a free online tool that will help you learn more about your risk for both cancer and coronary heart disease (CHD) based on your personal and family health history. Created by genetic counselors at Ohio State, the survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and provides a printable risk assessment that can be used for discussion with a physician or genetic counselor. “It is important that families take the time to discuss their health in order to better understand their risk for cancer and coronary heart disease and improve screening and prevention methods,” said Kevin Sweet, genetic counselor and director of the Family HealthLink project. Knowing your family health history can help you and your family lead smarter, healthier lives. If you have additional questions, contact one of our genetic counselors at the Division of Human Genetics at 614-293-6694.