Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2021

6 By Andrea Nagel Tim Wilcox is a recent retiree, fisherman, boater and family man. Now, thanks to a unique program that helps find people at high risk for lung cancer and brings them in for early screening, he’s also a cancer survivor. In 2019 Tim was diagnosed with stage I lung cancer after being referred to Kootenai Health’s Pulmonary Nodule and Lung Cancer Screening Clinic. His physician’s recommendation put him on his way to a full recovery. “I was a bit surprised when we got the results of my scan,” he said. “I’d never had a screening for lung cancer before, and I’m glad Dr. Rehil-Crest referred me when he did. Otherwise I may not be here.” Tim is one of many patients in our region who have benefited from free lung cancer screenings funded through the Kootenai Health Foundation. “We’re not aware of another program like this in the country,” said Cori Sowa, Pulmonary Nodule and Lung Cancer Screening coordinator. “Our care providers actively seek out these patients and have the support of the Foundation for those who need it. It’s a great service for our community.” Following a low-dose CT (or CAT) scan screening, a patient’s images are reviewed by a team of experts to determine if there are any concerning abnormalities. From there, patients meet with Todd Hoopman, M.D., pulmonologist, and his team with Kootenai Health’s Pulmonary Nodule and Lung Cancer Screening Clinic for further testing and treatment. “We began our low-dose CT screening program back in 2016, and each year we’ve nearly doubled the number of patients A FULL SPECTRUM CARE OF From screening to recovery, lung cancer patients are supported each step of the way TimWilcox was diagnosed with stage I lung cancer in 2019 through Kootenai Health’s Pulmonary Nodule and Lung Cancer Screening Clinic.