Burquitlam Funeral Home is proud to offer SecuriGene DNA Banking. Whether it is for sentimental reasons or potential future use, DNA Banking creates opportunities that would otherwise be lost forever. DNA contains valuable information about a person's ancestry, health, traits and conditions. By preserving this precious information, you are ensuring its availability for testing for generations to come. With rapid advances in genetic research, more treatments and cures for inherited diseases will be developed in the future that are not available today. This service is offered to both pre-need and at-need families.
Safely Store DNA for Future Testing
A wide range of genetic tests are currently available for everything from ancestry testing to disease testing. As time progresses, new tests will become available. Banking DNA ensures that you and your family are not left behind. Our collection kits are designed to collect 50x more DNA than a traditional buccal swab, which is more than enough to run almost every DNA test type available today.
Create a Unique & Eternal Keepsake
DNA contains a vast amount of information about who we are and who our ancestors were. It defines our physical traits and even determines whether we may pass certain diseases and conditions to the next generation. Banking DNA in a SecuriGene Capsule allows this precious information to withstand the test of time.
Disease Prevention
Approximately 75% of all diseases can be traced to our genetic makeup. What if you knew which diseases you are at risk of developing? Could you take preventative measures to minimize these risks? The answer is yes - current technology is already capable of using DNA to predict certain health predispositions in the family, and advances are being made to identify many more. Knowing your family’s genetic history assists in early detection, making it possible to take measures to prevent or mitigate the devastating effects of the disease before it is too late.
Study the Source of Cancers and Other Diseases in Your Family
Thanks to advances in genetics, researchers have managed to pinpoint mutations in the DNA responsible for contributing to certain types of cancer, heart disease and other serious hereditary conditions. Keeping a record of your family’s DNA is an important step in tracing the root cause of the disease and paves the way for targeted treatments.
Applications in Personalized Medicine
Knowing your DNA type may assist doctors in determining which drugs and treatment plans will work best for you, and which ones will be ineffective. This type of personalized medicine, known as “pharmacogenomics”, is already being used to determine the tolerance, optimal dosage level and effectivity of drugs used in heart disease and cancer patients. We can expect to see many exciting developments in the future for this rapidly growing field.
Create a 21st Century Family Tree
Elevate the tradition of creating a family tree by allowing participants to save a sample of their DNA inside a beautifully crafted triple-sealed stainless steel capsule. Your family’s DNA will be safely preserved for generations to come.
Discover New Opportunities in Ancestry Testing & Genealogy
Ancestry testing allows you to trace your paternal and maternal lineage using DNA. As more ancestral markers are identified, DNA ancestry testing will become much more powerful than it is today. By keeping a record of your family’s DNA, you are opening new doors and creating exciting new opportunities that were never available before.
Preserve the Genetic Legacy of Your Loved Ones Forever
DNA Banking allows the genetics of your loved ones to live on forever - even after death. Our laboratory prepares the sample to last indefinitely, and returns it to you for safekeeping inside your very own SecuriGene Capsule.
Identification
DNA testing is the best method of identification. No two individuals in the world have the same DNA except for identical twins. DNA can also be used to confirm biological relationships between potential family members. This allows DNA to be used in applications such as estate disputes, missing persons cases, or simply to determine the degree of relationship between two people.
Prevent DNA Degradation
If DNA is not properly purified and preserved, it will eventually degrade. Furthermore, the cremation and embalming process acts to permanently destroy DNA. By choosing to bank this precious genetic material, you will ensure that it is preserved indefinitely over time, and readily available in the event that it is required.
For more information please contact the Funeral Home.