Mayo Clinic Sponsors Presentation of "The Gift" to Explore Genomics and Medical Ethics

Monday, September 29, 2003

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic invites audiences to explore the ethical and legal issues of medical genetics in its presentation of "The Gift," Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2003, at 7 p.m. in Phillips Hall, the Siebens Medical Education Building, 100 Second Ave. S.W. "The Gift," a play by Joanna Baldwin, will be performed by the Rochester Repertory Theater.

This thought-provoking story explores how an inherited disease of the central nervous system, Friedreich's Ataxia, affects the health and relationships of three generations. The play begins with family matriarch Barbara Kay, who carries the gene for Friedreich's Ataxia, a progressive, degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Although the defective gene does not physically affect her, she passes it on to both of her children, Annie and Ryan. When Annie develops the disorder, Ryan decides to become a geneticist and use his knowledge to prevent his own son from developing Freidreich's Ataxia. But when Ryan's wife discovers that he has also enhanced their son's other genetic characteristics, relationships within the family are threatened.

The public is invited to this compelling story, which seeks to broaden our understanding about the impact of scientific advances on ethics and morality. "The Gift" is being co-sponsored by Mayo Clinic Center for Humanities in Medicine and the Mayo Clinic/George M. Eisenberg Genomics Education Program.

The Mayo Clinic/George M. Eisenberg Genomics Education Program helps Mayo Clinic physicians achieve excellence in clinical genomics. The Mayo Clinic Center for Humanities in Medicine integrates the arts, history and ethics in the medical environment to promote the compassionate delivery of health care.

This performance is free and open to the public. Seating is limited to the first 250 attendees.

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Susan Fargo Prosser
507-284-5005 (days)
507-284-2511 (evenings)
e-mail: newsbureau@mayo.edu

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