Until recently, genetic testing was something a lot of people didn’t know much about – if they knew about it at all.

But when Angelina Jolie revealed earlier this year that she had undergone genetic testing as a result of genetic counselling, and then undergone a double mastectomy after learning she had a high risk of breast cancer, she set off a flurry of worldwide attention on the practice.

The cancer centre in Kitchener’s Grand River Hospital was no exception to the sudden busyness.

Employees there say they’ve seen a spike in calls related to genetic counselling.

“The biggest part of a genetic counselling assessment is reviewing the family history to try to figure out just how likely is it that these cancers in the family are hereditary,” says GRH genetic counsellor Kathleen Buckley.

“From there, we’ll determine which people qualify for that genetic testing and weigh the pros and cons with them.”

In Ontario, 72,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year.

A small percentage of those 72,000 will have inherited a gene that increases their risk of cancer – and that’s where genetic testing can help sound an early alarm.

Anne Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram late last year.

Her diagnosis came as a surprise, and although a double mastectomy reduced her risk of recurrence, she still wanted to know more about her family’s medical history.

Because she was adopted, she turned to genetic testing as a way to learn more.

“It’s as simple as any other blood test,” she says.

“It’s ‘Take a little bit of blood from your arm, and away you go.’”

Smith is still waiting to hear back on her results, but says whatever information she gets will help not only her, but her children as well.

“Regardless of what the result is, it will help give me an answer on one, why I got this (and) two, what further risk is with ovarian cancer,” she says.

OHIP only covers genetic tests for Ontarians who meet certain criteria, such as being able to prove at least two blood relatives have had cancer.

Otherwise, the tests can cost in the neighbourhood of $2,000.

CTV’s Rosie Del Campo is looking at the ins and outs of genetic testing in a special series airing this week on CTV News.