Member Spotlight: Hannah Helber

We are thrilled to spotlight Hannah Helber, the recipient of the Genetic Counselor of the Year award from the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation. Join us as we celebrate her achievement and learn more about her journey, insights, and passion for this work

When and where did you earn your genetic counseling degree? Where do you currently work?

I graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in 2020. I currently work in the hematology department at Texas Children's Hospital.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

I feel so inspired by the young patients I see and how resilient they are. On my hardest days, they remind me I can do hard things! Being a part of their journey is the best part of being a genetic counselor.

What has been a valuable learning experience in your career path or journey?

Definitely just listening to patients and their concerns, I have learned so much from them. They are truly the experts in these conditions. My hematology colleagues have been phenomenal mentors to me and have helped me learn so much.

Outside of your career, what brings you joy?

Currently, enjoying the sunshine and playing outside with my son!

What inspired you to specialize in hematology genetic counseling? Tell us about your journey of becoming involved with this specialty. 

I did my summer rotation with Katie Bergstrom, MS, CGC and truly fell in love with the specialty. I credit Katie with fostering my interest and making me feel like I could jump into the specialty fresh out of grad school in my first job.

What advice do you have for genetic counselors of TSGC community who is looking to specialize in hematology genetic counseling?

Go for it! You don't have to know everything to start out in a new specialty. The hematology clinic is a genetics clinic, so there is plenty of space for genetic counselors to share their expertise!