MACON, Ga. — A Macon woman had a close call with lung cancer but was able to catch it early thanks to a lung screening event at Coliseum Medical Centers.
"It was my mother and her father and her brother and her sister and then my little sister," Coliseum Medical Centers patient Merry Williams said.
Those are all the family members she lost to lung cancer.
"A lot of them were older, but my mother who was younger, she smoked, and in fact at that time when she was smoking they thought it would help her stress," she said.
Williams being a 70-year-old former smoker and having a family history of lung cancer made her an ideal candidate for getting screened at Coliseum Medical Centers at a reduced price.
"In the past couple of years, we have coordinated with radiology associates of Macon to offer a reading fee of $50, and then we offer the exam for $50," Breast and Lung Nurse Navigator Racara Mastervick said.
"Mine, it was plain as day, it was actually a growth I guess you could say," Williams said.
A study from the Go2Foundation for Lung Cancer said these low-dose CT scans can help detect lung cancer early, when it's easier to treat. The 360-degree imaging can also show if there are other diseases or conditions in other organs.
The Go2Foundation said CT scans are more dependable since standard chest x-rays can't always detect cancer in its earliest stages.
"Chest x-rays are no longer the standard for screening. CT scans allow us a better and broader picture of the patient's body systems," Mastervick said.
Williams said with the CT scan, they were able to catch hers early enough to remove it fully and followed it up with radiation. It probably saved her life.
"I wanted mine out because of my history. Well they've removed it, and my oncologist told me that I could consider myself a survivor and cancer free," Williams said.
Most insurances cover screenings for people ages 55 to 80. Medicare covers those aged 55 to 77. Coliseum will offer reduced prices for uninsured patients again in May.
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