#59 From Diagnosis to Memoir: Laura Kieger’s Mission to Share Her Family’s FAP Story

In this powerful episode of It Happened To Me, hosts Beth Glassman and Cathy Gildenhorn are joined by author, advocate, and healthcare leader Laura Kieger, who shares her family’s deeply personal journey with FAP (Familial Adenomatous Polyposis), a rare genetic condition that significantly increases the risk of colorectal and other cancers.

Laura’s memoir, Summer’s Complaint, chronicles the emotional and medical challenges her family has faced across generations, from diagnosis and genetic testing to coping with loss and finding resilience. As someone who tested negative for the familial mutation herself, Laura also opens up about "survivor’s guilt", the burden of watching loved ones endure cancer, and how her work in healthcare and leadership has informed her approach to caregiving and advocacy.

Whether you're living with a hereditary cancer condition, supporting someone who is, or simply seeking to understand the human side of genetic risk, this episode offers insight, education, and compassion.

Topics Covered:

• What FAP is and how it differs from other hereditary cancer conditions
• Laura’s family’s diagnosis journey and how it shaped their approach to screening and prevention
• The emotional experience of receiving a negative genetic test result when others in your family test positive
• The value of genetic counseling and early detection
• Misconceptions about FAP and what patients and families should really know
• How storytelling can raise awareness and build advocacy for rare diseases
• Highlights from Laura’s memoir, Summer’s Complaint, and what she hopes readers take away

Laura Kieger is a healthcare human resources consultant, leadership coach, and author of Summer’s Complaint. With decades of experience improving patient and employee experiences in healthcare settings, Laura brings both professional and personal insight to the conversation around rare diseases and inherited cancer risk. She’s also a passionate advocate and speaker for organizations like the Ronald McDonald House and Care Partners.

 

Be sure to purchase your own copy of Laura’s memoir Summer’s Complaint; all proceeds go to continuing education credits for healthcare providers about hereditary cancer syndromes. During the episode Laura also mentioned a study about green bananas here and a private Facebook support group here. 

 

Stay tuned for the next new episode of “It Happened To Me”! In the meantime, you can listen to our previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “It Happened To Me”. 

 

“It Happened To Me” is created and hosted by Cathy Gildenhorn and Beth Glassman. DNA Today’s Kira Dineen is our executive producer and marketing lead. Amanda Andreoli is our associate producer. Ashlyn Enokian is our graphic designer.

 

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