A free lung screening at Kennedy Cancer Center changed the life of Gail Cahill of Winslow Township.
Gail Cahill, a 58-year-old Winslow Township resident, smoked for 40 years of her life.
In 2014, she was reading the newspaper when she noticed an advertisement from Kennedy Cancer Center in Washington Township announcing free lung screenings.
"I saw the ad for free, low dose lung scans," Cahill said. "The last time I had one was 2009 when I had a full body scan and there was nothing there."
Being a long-time smoker, Cahill wanted to get the scan to be sure her lungs were still in good shape.
So, in March 2014, she went to the Kennedy Cancer Center for the free CT scan of her lungs.
"They spied something," Cahill said.
Cahill had to follow up with a PET scan -- a positron emission tomography -- which uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for disease in the body.
"It looks into the body and lights up any area where there is cancer," said Louise Baca, administrator of the cancer program.
Cahill said the PET scan confirmed that there was something in the upper lobe of her left lung.
"It was 1.6 centimeters," she said. "It wasn't a ball, it was more like a splat."
Sue Saporito, Kennedy Health nurse navigator, said the scan found a spiculated nodule in Cahill's upper left lobe.
Her pulmonary doctor compared the recent scan with the one she had in 2009 and he said the tumor had not been there five years prior.
So, Cahill had a needle biopsy done and the doctors removed two samples from the small tumor. The needle biopsy confirmed that the nodule was stage 1A cancer in the lung and needed to be removed.
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"I had three options -- gamma radiation, a wedge cut into the lung to remove it, or removing the entire upper left lobe," Cahill said.
She discussed her options with her husband and family, and with a team of doctors at University of Pennsylvania.
"They thought radiation may not get it all, and even the wedge cut may not," she said. "They thought removing the upper left lobe was the best bet."
The operation was scheduled for June 17, 2014. Removing this section of her lung was a major operation and Cahill had nothing to compare the situation to.
"I've never had anything wrong with me -- no surgeries, no broken bones," she said. "I had all my parts."
Cahill was in the hospital for seven days after her surgery, and when she returned for a checkup four months later, she was shocked at her progress.
"I went back for a chest x-ray," she said. "The lower portion of the lung expanded into the cavity and it almost looks like I have a whole lung."
The doctors told Cahill they would not have recommended having her entire lobe removed if they thought she would have to be on oxygen.
"I have no scarring in my lungs, considering I smoked for 40 years," she said. "The doctors said I was a good candidate to have the lobe removed."
Cahill said getting the free lung screening at Kennedy Cancer Center changed her life.
"I had no symptoms, no cough, but I figured the scan was free, so why not," she said. "The test is so quick and simple."
Baca said the first time Kennedy Cancer Center offered screenings was during Lung Cancer Awareness Week in November 2013.
"We had 27 people sign up," she said.
The center began offering them on a more regular basis in 2014 and had many people interested in the procedure.
The lung screenings are funded by the Patient Assistance Fund administered by the Kennedy Health Medical Executive Board.
"They gave us a $5,000 grant last year, and $10,000 this year," said Baca.
The fund is funded by membership dues, fundraisers and donations.
The Bill Bottino NJ Mud Run, on Sept. 19 at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds, is one of their biggest fundraisers.
"Last year they made about $46,000 and gave us a third of the proceeds," Baca said.
With that funding, Kennedy can offer the lung screenings for free, and can also offer patients up to $1,500 to help with other costs that pile up when someone is going through cancer treatment.
"We have helped save people from being evicted," she said.
While there are guidelines that patients must meet to be considered for a free lung screening, Cahill and the staff at Kennedy Cancer Center encourage anyone who has a history of smoking to apply.
"The earlier we catch cancer, the better the mortality rate. That's why we feel these scans are important because if there's early detection, we can save lives," said Barbara Ciaramella, vice president of the cancer program. "Some people don't want to know. They are in denial."
But Cahill said she is thankful she took advantage of the free screening.
"I don't know what the outcome would have been if I hadn't gotten the screening," she said.
Kennedy Health has designated Nov. 7 as Lung Screening Day.
The event will be held at the Kennedy Cancer Center, 900 Medical Center Drive in Sewell from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Those interested need to pre-register and meet the criteria. For more information, call 856-218-5324 or visit www.kennedyhealth.org.
Kelly Roncace may be reached at kroncace@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @kellyroncace. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
