Christopher had been racking his brain. What could he get his girlfriend Colleen for Valentine's Day that would be a unique and heartfelt gift?

Christopher decided a 23andMe kit was the perfect gift. Colleen is quick to add that Christopher did include flowers, homemade chocolate cake and a sweet note. He described the 23andMe kit as a gift of her past, present and future since she would learn about her ancestry, her traits and some health information.

He had already shared his 23andMe results during one of their first dates, and he told Colleen how he was genetically less likely to smell asparagus in his urine. She was interested and not horrified. He knew this was someone special.

Colleen said it was not the traditional kind of Valentine's Day gift, but just perfect for two self-described nerds in love.

Kenzie, a nurse, and her mom Shannon are closer than the average mother and daughter, sharing a love of traveling together and their favorite foods. When Kenzie purchased 23andMe as a gift for herself and saw a BRCA1 variant in her 23andMe report, one of her first thoughts was “Could my mom have cancer and not know it?” She immediately knew she had to call her mom. “Mom, I have this gene, and I think you need to get tested.”

The two of them made appointments with their doctors for confirmatory testing. After doing so, both were able to take steps to minimize their risks. While Mackenzie is opting to go for a less aggressive route of frequent scans and discussing family planning options, Shannon (a cancer survivor), decided to go ahead with preventative surgeries to lower her risk of developing BRCA-associated cancers.

Both have found new inspiration and an even closer bond throughout their journey. “I'm really proud of my mom, she's taken her health into her hands. Her life is the most important thing to me, she's had both surgeries and decreased her risk greatly. She wanted to show me that she will survive”

Melissa developed symptoms of a pulmonary embolism (PE), a blood clot in the lung, after a cross-country flight from Washington to Boston for a nurses conference. The symptoms were atypical but as an RN she knew after a few days that something was wrong. Her 23andMe results showing she had the markers for Factor V Leiden (which is associated with a slightly increased risk of developing harmful blood clots) prompted Melissa to go to the ER in Boston before taking a return flight.

Trusting her nurse's instinct, she pushed to get confirmatory testing done. “I am not typically really insistent, but I was really insistent on this. I am absolutely sure it's going to happen again and I may not have another chance. And I wasn't willing to take that chance again.” They confirmed via a blood test and CAT scan that she had developed a PE.

She began taking a blood thinner right away so she could fly home. Melissa credits her knowledge of the gene with empowering her to take her health into her own hands. “Because I was aware of that gene, and my doctors were aware of that gene, that continues to save my life.”

Charlie's story began in college when he abruptly lost about 40lbs in one month. After his doctor ran several tests, Charlie learned he had ulcerative colitis, so he took medications and changed his diet to manage his symptoms. Still, he never felt completely better. Despite years of appointments, treatments, and tests, his doctors could only assure him that his condition was in remission.

When Charlie's wife gave him a 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service kit, he found out he was at increased risk for developing celiac disease. He took his 23andMe report to his doctors for follow-up testing and found out that he did, in fact, have celiac disease. "Without 23andMe, I'm not sure how I would have ever uncovered the truth about my condition."

After his diagnosis, Charlie made lifestyle changes suggested by his doctor, like cutting out gluten. While some changes have been difficult, Charlie is grateful 23andMe helped him take control of his health.

When Jill and her husband took the 23andMe test on World DNA Day, her husband was interested in learning about his traits and family history, but for Jill the stakes proved to be considerably higher.

When the couple received their results, Jill opted into her Genetic Health Risk* reports, she learned that she had a BRCA1 mutation. She also learned that this meant she had a higher chance of developing breast and ovarian cancer. But her results gave her something else, as well -- a sense of resolve. Determined to do everything in her power to protect her health, Jill consulted with genetic counselors and doctors who recommended a course of action, which she followed.

Jill continues to take preventive steps to monitor her health, and even serves on the leadership council of Basser Center for BRCA. For her, BRCA awareness is both a personal and public issue. Jill says she’s grateful that she was able to take information about her genetic code and keep herself healthy.

Jordan Carroll was intrigued by the stories passed down through generations that spoke of a Caucasian ancestor in his family. His entire family was African American—so this story led Jordan to try and track down the identity of this part of the family through 23andMe's DNA Relative tool.

Jordan reached out to a predicted fourth cousin online—and realized she was from a Caucasian family living in the same region of South Carolina where his mother's family was originally from. The connection kicked off a fact-finding mission. By supplementing his family's oral history with science and official records, Jordan revealed an extended branch of the family. It was not just a story or fiction, it was a fact.

Hilary decided to take the 23andMe test after hearing about a friend’s 23andMe experience at a party. She didn’t take the test seriously at first, because she assumed she knew everything there was to know about herself. What she learned from her 23andMe results changed both her mind and her life.

When Hilary received her results, she discovered she was 38% Ashkenazi Jewish. Hilary was familiar with the term, Ashkenazi, but she didn’t know what it meant. She certainly didn’t know it meant she had an elevated risk for having a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. When she opted in to her Genetic Health Risk* reports, she learned that she had a positive result for BRCA.

Armed by this knowledge, Hilary consulted with her doctor and was advised to take a more comprehensive test, which confirmed her positive result. Nobody in Hilary’s family had breast or ovarian cancer, and she is grateful to 23andMe both for making her aware of her risk and empowering her to take steps to protect her health.

When she was in her early thirties, Ann learned she had been conceived by a sperm donor. She decided to take the 23andMe test when she was asked at a medical exam if she had a family history of breast cancer and realized she didn’t know the answer.

When Ann received her 23andMe results, and learned that she was 51% Ashkenazi Jewish, it confirmed what she’d already known -- that her mother was Jewish. After opting into 23andMe’s Genetic Health Risk* reports, she also learned she had a BRCA1 mutation. Knowing that carrying the mutation put her at a higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer, she had a blood test, which confirmed her positive result.

Ann attended support meetings to learn how to cope; she consulted with a gynecologic oncologist to determine a proper course of action. Looking back, she feels fortunate to have been able to access information that allowed her be proactive about her health.

As far back as Alix can remember, she's had stomach pain. "When I was little, my father would make me drink cow's milk even though I would complain of pain immediately after." He was proud that he could afford to provide milk in Taiwan in the 1970s.

At age 40, Alix decided to look into genetic testing to see what she could learn about herself. She was working fulltime and raising a toddler, and she wanted to be healthier. After a friend recommended 23andMe, Alix saw that she had a genetic likelihood of being lactose intolerant—everything made sense.

After consulting with her doctor, she is now on a lactose-free diet, and Alix feels healthy and energetic, and is enjoying life with her young daughter and husband again.

Disclaimer:
23andMe is not intended to diagnose any health condition. You should consult a healthcare professional before making any major lifestyle changes.

Kristin’s motivation for exploring 23andMe was strictly personal -- safeguarding the family history her grandmother had given her. But it was her grandfather’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease that inspired her to use 23andMe to learn more about how her DNA may impact her health.

When her results came back, Kristin opted into 23andMe’s Genetic Health Risk reports. She was relieved to discover she did not have the variant associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease tested by 23andMe. However, she did have two copies of the tested variants for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a condition she’d never heard of.

Kristin reviewed 23andMe’s scientific details and learned of the link between alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and emphysema. By consulting with both a genetic specialist and her doctor, she was able to learn more about her condition and take steps to mitigate her risk.

Growing up, Sarah didn’t have the benefit of thinking about Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease in an abstract way. She had a personal connection to both diseases -- her grandfather’s battle with Parkinson’s and her grandmother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s.

As somebody who believes strongly in the importance of being your best self, Sarah turned to 23andMe to explore her own genetic risk for these conditions. After opting in to 23andMe’s Genetic Health Risk reports, she discovered that she did not have the two variants associated with Parkinson’s disease that 23andMe tests for, but that she did test positive for a variant associated with Late-Onset Alzheimer’s disease.

In Sarah’s own words, health is a “moving target.” Understanding her own genetic risk helped Sarah feel she had the information she needed to prepare and plan. This in turn has allowed her to be her best self.

As a personal trainer, Josh thrives when he is able to help people transform their health and fitness. He remembers how he worked hard to get in shape, so inspiring people is a fulfilling part of his job.

Josh believes in data-driven approaches to health and fitness, so he bought a 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service kit to learn what his genes might say about his health. He took the test and gained insights into characteristics like caffeine consumption and taste preferences.

23andMe also gave Josh information that helped him optimize his workout routine. He read his muscle composition report and found out that he has a genetic variant common in elite power athletes like sprinters, jumpers and throwers. He took this knowledge and learned more about what work-out routine might be best for him.

"Being able to appreciate what you were born with on day one-what makes you different-it's really cool when you can see it right in front of you. That appreciation is a sense of peace that you don't get anywhere else," Josh said.

Gwen and her father shared a special bond that included a love of photography. As she puts it, "I couldn't have had a better dad."

After college Gwen moved to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a filmmaker. When her mother called one day to tell her that her father had Parkinson's disease, her immediate response was to learn as much as she could about the disease so she could be a caretaker for her father.

Gwen and her father decided to take the 23andMe test so Gwen could understand how her genetics may impact her risk of developing Parkinson's, and so they could participate in Parkinson's research. When their results came back, Gwen discovered that she did not have the two variants associated with Parkinson's that 23andMe tests for. Together, she and her father opted in to research that allows 23andMe scientists to look at their data, along with thousands of others who have also opted in to 23andMe's research, in an effort to learn more about the disease.

Gwen's father lived with Parkinson's for nearly eight years. There's no cure for the grief that comes from losing a parent, but Gwen remains hopeful that the more we learn from research, the better the chance her daughter can live in a world free of Parkinson's.

When Winnie was born, she was given up for adoption by her 17 year old birth mother and adopted by loving and nurturing parents. Her large adoptive family provided her with a wonderful life and many opportunities for which she has always been most grateful. But Winnie felt that a piece of her life puzzle was missing, that of her genetic roots. Her birth mother went on to marry and raise a son and three daughters, but took the secret of her first born daughter, Winnie, to her grave.

After a geneticist/genealogist recommended that Winnie test with 23andMe, she was matched immediately with a genetic relative who turned out to be her half nephew. Additional testing by 23andMe confirmed that his mother was Winnie's half sister. Winnie had found her birth family at last.

Winnie's biological family never knew about her, but following a tearful meeting, have welcomed her into their family with total love and acceptance. Her newly found family has provided her with answers about her birth mother's life and her genetic family history.

"When my sister and I were born, the obstetrician told my mother that we were fraternal twins because we had separate amniotic sacs and placentas." So the Beers sisters were brought up as fraternal twins. Their mom worked hard to make sure they could develop separate personalities—they were never in the same classes as children and were never dressed alike.

But Kristin always felt deep in her heart that they were identical. They looked so much alike that it was hard even for them to tell themselves apart in photos. So after many years of wanting to find out the truth—but a little nervous too—they both did a 23andMe test. Their results confirmed their suspicions, "you have an identical sister."

"For the first time in forever I was speechless. Being a twin is unlike a typical sibling relationship. You share a womb. It is a bond that is difficult to describe. It is your identity." What Kristin felt all along—a deeper connection beyond the aesthetics—was true. They are thrilled to share 100% of their genome.

Jonnie's family moved from Mississippi to Detroit in the mid-1930's seeking a better life. As her dad told her "life was not very pleasant at the time for a black man in the South." Then the family moved to Los Angeles when she was a child. She grew up surrounded by very few relatives—just her immediate family and an aunt and uncle. She often asked, "Why don't we have more relatives?"

As an adult, her father took her to Mississippi to meet their extended family. On her mother's side of the family, the story told was that a great grandfather was a Caucasian man named Littlepage.

Jonnie began to research, but she had limited success linking her family to the Littlepage family using local census records. A death certificate, however, provided a full name.

After she got her 23andMe results, Jonnie was matched with three second cousins, one of which had the last name Littlepage. Jonnie screamed when she got the email. "This is the Littlepage family I've been looking for." Since finding Littlepage descendants, she has made special family connections. "DNA testing, as my case suggests, can be critical to busting through the infamous 1870 brick walls for many African-American researchers."

As an adoptee, Megan didn't know anything about her biological parents or family history. For years she would get questions about her background—questions she couldn't answer. "I wanted to know about ME." So Megan ordered a 23andMe kit.

"I counted down the days until the reports came in, and when they did I almost cried," said Megan. "After 19 years of not knowing anything, and then just from spitting in a tube, I have a pile of information all about me."

In the beginning, she would look at her reports every day, multiple times a day. "When I was younger everyone just assumed I was Hispanic." But now Megan knows she is part Irish, part Scandinavian and part African. And she has some Indigenous American ancestry as well. When asked how she felt about finding out her genetic makeup, she said, "I thought it was so cool."

Francisco grew up in a Latino neighborhood. His family was Portuguese and attended a Lutheran church, but something about his culture never felt quite right to him. His grandmother lit candles on Friday nights, she told him that dairy and meat didn't mix, and she told him to avoid shellfish. Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas were not celebrated with joy, but with obligation. Even when his father passed away, there were no clergy present at the burial, and no Christian iconography was put on the tombstone.

In college, Francisco had a discussion with a Portuguese professor about his last name. His surname was taken by Portuguese Jews, many of whom had been forced to convert to Catholicism during the Inquisition.

With 23andMe, Francisco found his paternal haplogroup was shared with 20 to 30% of Sephardic Jews. He traced his ancestors' migration, and he found his family escaped persecution by hiding their religion.

"I finally had evidence," he said. Francisco celebrates his new-found cultural identity.

Daniella, host of a local TV show in NYC, purchased a 23andMe kit for a story she was doing on genealogy and ancestry. Daniella also purchased her father a kit. She knew her dad would be fascinated by it since he was a chemical engineer, and she thought it would be a good diversion from the treatment he was undergoing for terminal cancer.

Together, they linked their accounts and compared their DNA—finding commonalities and differences. The experience prompted her dad to tell Daniella in detail about his childhood and family ancestors and even to bring out an old slide show of the extended family. It was a shared experience between a father and daughter, one that helped them get to know each other in a new way.

Daniella's dad passed away a couple of months later. "I'm so glad to have shared this experience with him, and hopefully it gave him some greater sense of the context of his life."

Diane Silberman Berger's mother and father moved across the country during the Depression for work. Her mother died when Diane was just nine. It was a profound loss. Diane lost contact with her mother's close-knit family on the East Coast. Despite decades of trying, Diane never found them.

Then one day, her daughter Barrie had some news. "Mom, are you sitting down?" Barrie asked. "I found them."

Barrie had tested with 23andMe and was able to reconnect her mother to her first cousins, Rebecca and Miriam. Soon after, they planned a family reunion in New York, and she filled in gaps about her family and took lots of pictures. Barrie shares, "My mom is the happiest I've seen her in years, and she's so overjoyed to not only find her family, but also to close so many gaps and answer so many questions in her life."

Susan was amazed by 23andMe and began telling other people. This led to more friends experiencing 23andMe, and ultimately they created a group to gather and discuss their results and to share stories and tips.

The group grew from just a few members to more than two dozen, and they now meet regularly for breakfast at a local restaurant with their iPads and laptops. They discuss their reports and new findings, and they talk about genetics and science.

"Sometimes our discussions are fun, sometimes they are serious and often they are just plain fascinating. 23andMe has really given us a bonding experience."

Jeannie grew up in a Christian family, but had a lifelong affinity for the Jewish faith and culture. "For as long as I can remember, I've wished I was Jewish. I was named an ‘honorary Jew' in high school and attended bat mitzvahs and Passover seders, and I eventually fell in love with a Jewish man."

During her engagement to her husband, she worked tirelessly to convert to Judaism—spending long hours studying, meeting with rabbis, learning Hebrew prayers and attending classes.

Shortly before having her first child, Jeannie's mom called to say that she had discovered through her 23andMe results that she was Ashkenazi Jewish. Jeannie knew she already felt Jewish, but now it was not just in her heart—it was in her genes. As she jokes, "I could have saved a lot of time and money if I'd had my 23andMe results to show the rabbi!"

Finding out that she was genetically Jewish also had practical implications. With the knowledge that both she and her husband had Jewish ancestry, her husband decided to get carrier testing with their doctor for traditionally Jewish diseases like Tay-Sachs. Thankfully, the tests did not identify him as a carrier.

Michael was raised an only child by loving adoptive parents who passed away 25 years ago. He came to 23andMe hoping to find out more about his ancestry, but a match in the 23andMe DNA Relatives tool opened the door for him to find his 80-year-old birth father and nine brothers and sisters.

Michael's first phone call with his dad ended with something he hadn't heard in a very long time, "Goodnight, Son."

Andrea grew up with a sister and a brother who were blonde and blue-eyed. She looked completely different, and she knew she had a different father than her siblings. She always longed to know who she looked like. She didn't feel the need to meet her father, she just wanted to better understand where she came from.

With 23andMe, Andrea was able to see her ancestral background—that was thrilling. Then, with 23andMe's DNA Relatives tool, Andrea uncovered family connections and found her half-siblings and paternal grandmother.

She placed a call to her grandmother, who was lively and vibrant and wonderful. She said, "Baby, no need to be crying, you let me know when you want to make a trip to see me." Her grandmother was able to share stories and photos of Andrea's dad, who had passed away years earlier, and Andrea could finally see who she looked like.

As a 7-year-old, David asked his aunt about his heritage, and she bluntly told him, "You're Mexican." His response was equally direct, "No I'm not," he told her. "I will tell you one day what I am."

David knew his ancestry was complicated. His mother had Puerto Rican ancestry. His father had Mexican ancestry. David used 23andMe to help him piece together his ancestry and to find himself in the process.

"When the results came in, it felt like opening a present," he said. "I was blown away by it." He learned his heritage was a mix of European, African, Western Asian and Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. For David, it all fit.

Adriano and his wife Jessica did 23andMe just after their son was born. Jessica wasn't surprised at all when Adriano's reports showed a genetic likelihood for lactose intolerance. The signs had always been there. Now they could put a name to it. It made sense.

Jessica, who always thought of herself as a slow runner who avoided running as much as possible, learned about her muscle composition. She learned that her genetics made her less likely to be a sprinter and potentially more fit for long-distance running. It clicked. As Adriano says, "She may not be fast, but she has tremendous endurance. Knowing that is all it took for her to go from never running (or getting regular exercise), to becoming an avid runner!"

Jessica has lost the weight she gained during her pregnancy and is feeling great.

Disclaimer:
23andMe is not intended to diagnose any health condition. You should consult a healthcare professional before making any major lifestyle changes.

When Greg and his wife introduced solid foods to their third child, they noticed he would push away anything with fruit in it. As he grew, his reaction was not just to fruits, but anything sweet. He even threw up when he had cough syrup. Greg and his wife spoke with doctors, but all of them seemed to shrug off their concerns.

Greg was personally interested in genetic testing and decided to do 23andMe for himself. Right away Greg noticed something in his reports. It said he was a carrier of a variant for Hereditary Fructose Intolerance.* This is a rare disorder that leaves a person without the protein needed to break down fructose (a sugar found in fruits and other sweetened foods). Undetected, it can cause liver and kidney damage.

"It was like a light bulb clicked. I thought, "I've got to get his doctor to test him." His son was 7 at the time. With testing, doctors diagnosed Greg's son with the disease. The couple's other children did not inherit the condition. The diagnosis has meant a vast overhaul of their son's diet, but Greg is relieved to have found out what was wrong with him. "We're just happy that he got diagnosed a lot younger than people normally do."