Volunteer Spotlight - Dillon van den Berg, MS, LCGC

I am a cancer genetic counselor working in Southern California and have been a volunteer with FORCE since 2021. FORCE provides extensive resources and support for the patients that I care for, assisting them in navigation through complex medical and familial decisions regarding their inherited cancer risks. In our field, most patients who pursue genetic counseling and/or genetic testing are female, even though men and women are just as likely to have inherited cancer predispositions. While misinformation about men and inherited cancer predisposition remains an issue, FORCE has taken on the challenge to help dispel this misinformation. In addition, FORCE launched a support meeting for men to share their unique perspectives that may otherwise be lost in other support groups. As a volunteer and genetic expert lead for the FORCE men’s support meeting, I have seen firsthand the power, impact, and interest that men have in genetic counseling, testing and cancer prevention. These support meetings constantly remind me of the importance of our work.