AdventHealth Gordon recently hosted free firefighter cancer and health screenings on Sept. 9, 10 and 11 for local Gordon County and City of Calhoun firefighters.
Firefighting is a dangerous occupation as they risk their lives daily for the safety of the communities they serve. In recent years, more studies have indicated the lasting health implications firefighters have due to job-related exposures. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recently found that firefighters face a 9 percent increase in cancer diagnoses and a 14 percent increase in cancer-related deaths compared to the general population in the United States. This is why annual health screenings and visits with primary care physicians are crucial for those like firefighters who work with contaminant risk and exposure daily.
Screenings offered included lung cancer screenings, oral, head and neck cancer screenings, prostate cancer screenings, skin cancer screenings, cardiac risk assessments, mental health screenings and biometric screenings such as blood pressure and body fat analysis. Education on nutrition and stress management was also provided.
Coordinated by Eric Dunkel, regional director of network development at AdventHealth Gordon, the screenings were administered by AdventHealth Gordon providers including Hak Lee, MD; Lorie Hughes, MD; William Tong, MD; Terrilyn Blackstock, NP-C, and Destiny Howe, NP-C. Mark Finley, PA-C, and Joe Langshaw, PA-C, of the Skin Cancer & Cosmetic Dermatology Center administered the skin cancer screenings