From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Wednesday November 12th, FirstHealth of the Carolinas will be returning to The CARE Clinic with their Lung Bus. The Lung Bus is a mobile imaging system that offers low-dose CT lung screening technology for those in communities in the Sandhills region. Offering imaging services outside the hospital helps reach individuals who may not have access or the opportunity to get this scan otherwise. This amazing service is also done free of charge to those eligible. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast, and prostate combined. Additionally, Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in North Carolina.
CT scans remain the gold standard for helping providers identify lung cancer at its earliest stages when there is a better chance for cure. An estimated 238,340 people were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023 in the United States, and it is the leading cause of cancer deaths in North Carolina. About 90% of stage 1 cancers are completely treatable, so early screening is essential. The Lung Bus is equipped with a 40-slice CT scanner and scans are performed by a certified technologist. The test is simple and quick, taking only about 10 minutes. Pre-registration and screening are suggested, but walk-ups are also permitted. Eligibility Criteria must be met in order to qualify to be scanned. Call (910) 715-LUNG (5864) or email [email protected] for more information or to register.
Eligibility Criteria includes:
• Being between 50 – 80 years of age
• Being a current smoker or having quite smoking in the past 15 years
• Having a 20 pack-year smoking history
• Not having a health problem that limits life expectancy or the ability to have surgery if cancer is found
We are committed to providing quality care at The CARE Clinic. Our organization earned a 2022 Gold Rating from the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) Quality Standards Program.
