Southwest Virginia welcomes two national organizations to provide breast and cervical cancer screenings, critical health education for families
August 1, 2017 — Northfield, IL — “See, Test & Treat®”—a nationally recognized cancer prevention program—will offer its free cancer screening and community health education event to the Appalachia region, thanks in large part to the support of the Prevent Cancer Foundation®, as well as several welcoming local organizations and individuals. The event will be held August 5 at Norton Community Hospital, in Norton, Virginia. Uninsured and underinsured women can call 877-230-NURSE (6877) to register for cancer screenings and same-day results. The event will use staff and equipment from Norton Community and Mountain View hospitals in collaboration with their parent companies, Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health System.
See, Test & Treat is the flagship program of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation. It offers free breast and cervical screening to at-risk women, in addition to such other services as blood pressure screening, flu shots and important health education for women, their families and their communities. Test results are all provided the same day and if treatment is needed, an immediate care plan is designed and provided by doctors and affected patients.
In an effort to promote screening, vaccination and treatment of certain viruses as a cancer prevention tool, the CAP Foundation has partnered with the Think About the Link® campaign to offer a unique education experience to women in the Appalachian Virginia area. Think About the Link® is a multi-year education campaign developed by the Prevent Cancer Foundation® to increase awareness of the connection between the human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and hepatitis C and the many cancers they cause.
The goals of the program are simple: to provide health care professionals and at-risk groups access to the latest information related to viruses and cancers, bring culturally-appropriate cancer prevention education materials and screenings directly to communities in need, and foster a dialogue between patients and health care professionals.
“This is a population that is geographically dispersed—one of the most common and difficult barriers to health care we see,” said Carolyn Aldigé, President & Founder of the Prevent Cancer Foundation®. “Screening and prevention are key to changing patterns, but the lack of awareness of these viruses and the cancers they cause is a hurdle we must overcome. We are proud to partner with See, Test & Treat, an initiative program that provides immediate results, education and care at no cost to patients. This is a model that can be adapted nationwide to people in need.”
The Appalachian region has the highest cancer mortality rate in the nation, perhaps as the result of late-stage cancer diagnoses. This project will be located in rural southwest Virginia and is expected to draw patients from five counties spanning 2,224 square miles.
Theresa Emory, MD, FCAP, is the pathologist lead for the event. She is a former resident of the region and has provided a financial donation to be able to bring See, Test & Treat to Appalachia.
“I am grateful to be one of many local health care professionals, residents, volunteers and businesses pitching in to support our neighbors,” said Dr. Emory, who serves on the board of directors of the CAP Foundation. “See, Test & Treat provides important tools for women and their families to live more healthy lives and to stay on a path of self-care. Screening is critical to prevention, but spreading empowering tools throughout a community is what sets See, Test & Treat apart from other programs.”
Local sponsors include: K-VA-T Food Stores/Food City, Wellmont Health System, Mountain States Health Alliance, Plastic Surgery Specialists, the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia-Wise.
Other services expected to be offered at the event include HPV testing, blood pressure screenings, flu shots, skin cancer checks, bone density testing and genetic testing.
About Think About the Link®
Think About the Link® focuses on three viruses that can lead to cancer: HPV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. The campaign travels the country to increase awareness of the link between these viruses and cancer, increase immunization rates for HPV and hepatitis B, and increase awareness of and access to treatment for hepatitis C. The ultimate goal of Think About the Link® is to prevent virally-induced cancers. Learn more at thinkaboutthelink.org.
About The Prevent Cancer Foundation®
The Prevent Cancer Foundation® is one of the nation’s leading voluntary health organizations and the only U.S. nonprofit focused solely on saving lives through cancer prevention and early detection across all populations. Founded in 1985, the Foundation has catapulted cancer prevention to prominence and fulfills its mission through research, education, outreach and advocacy nationwide. Learn more at preventcancer.org or follow on Twitter at @preventcancer.
About the College of American Pathologists and CAP Foundation
As the world’s largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, read the CAP Annual Report at cap.org.
The CAP Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the College of American Pathologists, supports patient-centered and humanitarian initiatives led by pathologists, striving to connect people in underserved communities with the specialized skills of pathologists. CAP Foundation funding for See, Test & Treat is made possible through the continued generous support of CAP member pathologists, staff, foundations, industry, and private donations. In 2017, See, Test & Treat is generously being supported by organizations such as CVS Health, Hologic, Inc., and the Prevent Cancer Foundation®. Learn more and donate: foundation.cap.org. Contact the CAP Foundation capfnd@cap.org or follow us on Twitter at @capfndn.
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