HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- A simple cheek swab could help you make important healthcare decisions when it comes to you and your family. HudsonAlpha in partnership with Kailos Genetics have a program called "Information is Power."
It's an early detection test to determine if a man or woman has ovarian, breast or another form of cancer.
"Cancer is something that has impacted my family on many levels," said Vicky Hinton.
For Vicky Hinton, the decision was a relatively easy one.
"It just felt like having that information to make decisions about how I approach my life and my health was just a smart thing to do and an easy choice to make," said Hinton.
The mother of two has history of cancer in her family.
"They are the light of our lives and I would do absolutely anything to take control of my health to make sure that I am here as long as I can be for their future," said Hinton.
It was when she participated in a race for St. Jude that she had a realization.
"As I was running through the St. Jude campus and thinking of the friends of my children and my family and how it's all so intertwined...and that I had not done everything in my power to attain the knowledge that was available to me," said Hinton.
Earlier this year, Hinton received her at-home kit.
"I had no known markers," said Hinton. "Which was remarkable and amazing and a feeling of, of course, relief. But also, just gratefulness."
Whether the results good or bad...
"The one thing you can't get back is time," said Hinton.
The genetic testing for cancer risk is free for men and women 30 years old through HudsonAlpha and Kailos Genetics.
In the last two years, there have been 2,000 tests administered.