Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – that is to have succeeded.”
Leaving the world a bit better is exactly what a group of dedicated individuals, like-minded and passionate about saving lives is determined to accomplish.
The Detroit Cancer Screening Initiative is a 501c3 charitable organization that was birthed from the collaborative efforts of Lawrence MacDonald, MD and several brilliant physicians and nurses in the Detroit Metropolitan area. Their goal was to educate and encourage early screening for lung cancer, specifically in Southeast Michigan.
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the United States, killing more men each year than colon and prostate cancers combined. More women die of lung cancer yearly than from breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers combined. And in Southeast Michigan, the inner city population has a higher incidence of lung cancer than other racial or ethnic groups, and higher death rates from the disease.
Lung cancer does not usually present with symptoms that someone may notice immediately, so screening is crucial for former and current smokers. Detecting the cancer in its earliest stages affords the patient an opportunity for curative measures to be taken before the disease advances.
Organizing outreach opportunities at events such as local blood drives, the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity meeting, the Walk to Save Black Men’s Lives, and providing television interviews are only a few of the preliminary efforts Dr. MacDonald and his colleagues have planned to educate the Southeast Michigan community. These activities are designed to encourage patients and care givers to work with their primary care physicians to follow current guidelines regarding cancer screening, and direct them to facilities where such screening is available.
Dr. MacDonald and his colleagues who serve on the DCSI Board are committed to encouraging continued education regarding the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, and provide lecture opportunities for healthcare professionals. Primary care physicians are able to remain up-to-date regarding advances in lung cancer education with lectures on artificial intelligence in lung cancer diagnosis, as well as the roles of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy – just a few of the educational lecture topics planned for the near future. These will also eventually be available on the DCSI YouTube Channel, as well as on the organization’s official website.
For more information about the Detroit Cancer Screening Initiative, visit https://detroitcancerscreen.com/
Very nice!