When families gather around the table this Thanksgiving, on Thursday, November 26, the turkey and the pie will get passed from hand to hand. This year, consider passing along something that could matter even more: your family’s health story.
Since November 2004, the U.S. Surgeon General has recognized Thanksgiving as National Family Health History Day, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute at the NIH. The idea is simple. The holiday brings generations together, and that makes it a natural time to talk about the health conditions that run in the family.
Why your family’s story matters
The CDC describes family health history as a record of the diseases and health conditions in your family. It reflects more than genes. Families also share habits, like how they eat and how active they are, and they often share the same surroundings.
According to the CDC, most people have a family history of at least one chronic disease, such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes. Your own risk may be higher if a close relative has a condition, if more than one close relative has it, or if a relative was diagnosed at a younger age than usual.
Here is the hopeful part. MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, notes that having a relative with a condition does not mean you will definitely get it. And the CDC points out that while you cannot change your genes, you can change habits like smoking, inactivity and poor eating. Knowing your story gives you and your doctor a head start.
What to gather
The CDC suggests collecting a few key details from your close blood relatives:
- Health conditions they have or had, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke or cancer.
- The age when each condition started. If someone cannot remember exactly, an approximate age is still useful.
- Cause and age of death for relatives who have passed away.
- Your family’s ancestry, including the countries your ancestors came from.
Start with parents, brothers and sisters, half-siblings and children. Then widen the circle to grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. MedlinePlus suggests aiming for three generations when you can, and adds that medical records, obituaries and death certificates can help fill gaps.
How to start the conversation
The CDC admits these talks can feel uncomfortable, but says they benefit the whole family. A few gentle ideas can help:
- Pick a calm moment. A walk after dinner or a quiet chat while washing dishes may work better than announcing it at the table.
- Lead with love. Try something like, “I want to take good care of myself so I can be around for all of you. Can you tell me what health problems run in our family?”
- Ask specific questions. “Has anyone had heart trouble or diabetes?” is easier to answer than “Any health issues?”
- Honor the elders. Grandparents often remember relatives the younger ones never met. The CDC encourages older family members to pass that knowledge down.
- Respect privacy. Some people are not ready to share. That is okay. Thank them and leave the door open.
It can also become a beautiful family moment. While you talk about health, you may hear stories of courage, faith and survival you have never heard before.
“One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.”
Psalm 145:4 (KJV)
Write it down and keep it handy
Once you have the information, keep it somewhere safe and easy to update. The CDC points to a free online tool called My Family Health Portrait, which helps you organize your family history and share it with relatives and health care providers. A simple notebook works too.
Then bring it to your next checkup. The CDC says to share what you know even if it is incomplete. Your provider can use it to help decide which screenings you may need and when to start them, and may suggest genetic counseling in some cases. Update your record whenever you learn something new, and share it with your children when they are grown.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Please talk with your doctor or health care provider about your family history and what it may mean for you.
A gift that outlasts the meal
The leftovers will be gone in a few days. But a family health history, lovingly gathered, can help your children and grandchildren for years to come. It is one more way to care for the people God has placed around your table.
Through every storm, we rise together.
Have you ever talked with your family about health history, and what did you learn that surprised you?
Sources: CDC, “Family Health History and Adults” (Aug 24, 2026); CDC, “About Family Health History” (Sep 24, 2024); CDC, “Family Health History Tools and Resources” (Sep 24, 2024); NIH National Human Genome Research Institute, “This Thanksgiving, Celebrate Family Health History Day” (Nov 23, 2018); MedlinePlus Genetics, “Why is it important to know my family health history?” (May 12, 2021); KJV Psalm 145:4
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