Sometimes the difference between a patient’s early-detected and treatable lung cancer diagnosis and a late-stage discover with a grim outlook is as simple as a ride to the health clinic, said the St. Tammany Health System lung cancer screening program coordinator Megan Broussard.
She said the new Breathe Well ConneCTion, the state’s first mobile lung cancer screening bus, is a life-changing addition to the health system’s medical arsenal to fight for improved health.
The mobile unit will take screenings on the road, visiting different rural areas throughout St. Tammany each week.
There are no needles, no dyes and no fasting, Broussard said. And scans are quick and painless; an actual scan takes only about 15 seconds. The person being scanned keeps on their regular street clothes, and at no point does the head ever go through the scanning machine. This is not an enclosed screening process.
“We hear all of the time that people can’t get to a screening, or even that they are not willing to drive what would be considered a short distance to a clinic. To have this exposure and provide screening access to rural areas is definitely going to save lives,” Broussard said.
She joined dozens of health care professionals, firefighters and community partners on July 10 to tour the new mobile unit that will be based at the St. Tammany Physician’s Network North Covington Clinic.
“Lung cancer screening is sort of the baby of cancer screenings, since it’s only been around about 10 years,” Broussard said.
She said early detection is key, because if left until the later stages of the disease, it can compromise more organs and quickly spread throughout the body.
The unit, which can accommodate about 25 screens per week, offers a low-dose CT scan that is a key factor in reducing the lung cancer death rate by up to 20% among those in the high-risk category. To get the Breathe Well unit launched, St. Tammany Health System and its nonprofit arm, the St. Tammany Health Foundation, partnered with the Mauti Cancer Fund, which donated $500,000 to the cause.
An early screening was unavailable in 1978 when former New Orleans Saints player Rich Mauti’s father, Dominic, received his lung cancer diagnosis. Dominic Mauti died a year later, and Rich Mauti jumped into the fight against cancer.
In 1981, he formed the Mauti Cancer Fund, which has raised nearly $4 million through fundraisers, including his renowned golf and tennis tournaments. A Mandeville resident, Mauti has spent the past 40 years as an active and prominent figure advocating for early cancer detection and access to treatment to give others a better chance of survival.
But until now, he said he has not been able to make a difference with lung cancer.
“It’s humbling to finally be here and make an impact in this space,” he said. “This is an emotional event for me because of my dad. If we can save just one life, it will all be worth it. We are hoping that this program is the beginning of a program that will grow for our community and that we will be able to serve as many people as we can, saving lives as we go.”
The Breathe Well mobile until will also assist firefighters, who are at increased risk for lung cancer.
“This is an asset we cherish,” said Mandeville Fire District No. 4 Fire Chief Bert Norton. “This tool gives us the best chance at early detection, treatment and recovery. That way, we can keep our firefighters healthy and safe for their families.”
Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance companies cover the cost of the screening for those who meet the lung cancer screening eligibility requirements. Those requirements are to be 50 to 70 years old; a current smoker or someone who has quit in the past 15 years; and without any symptoms of lung cancer. In addition, a cash program is available with the low-dose screening scan costing $119.
A physician’s order is necessary for the screening.
To schedule a screening or get information about the mobile unit, visit www.lungconnection.health or call (985) 871-5864.
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