Newswise — More than 50 women in need received free cervical and breast cancer screenings with same-day results as part of a recent See, Test & Treat program and health fair at Loyola University Medical Center. Funded by a grant from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation, this was the first See, Test & Treat program offered in Illinois.
“Many of the women we cared for had not had a Pap test or mammogram in more than 20 years, and thanks to the generous funding by the CAP Foundation, were able to receive care,” said Loyola Chair of Pathology, Eva M. Wojcik, MD, FCAP. “Seeing those signs of relief on the faces of women who were told their screenings came back normal was priceless.”
Dr. Wojcik led a team of more than 35 Loyola physicians and medical personnel for the cancer screenings. “Thanks to the compassion and commitment of Loyola in holding this event, together we were able to reach women who don’t have access to essential, basic, preventive care,” said Julia Rankenburg, program development manager, CAP Foundation. “The women participating in this truly remarkable program commented many times about their appreciation and gratitude.”
Women between the ages of 30 and 64 with Medicaid or who were uninsured qualified for the event.
The screening included a pelvic exam, a Pap test with same-day results, an HPV test, a breast exam and screening mammography, if appropriate. Displays and educational materials were also available to help women better understand their unique health needs. Financial and medical specialists were onsite to interact with participants, answer questions and provide information.
Through pathologists at select institutions around the U.S., the See, Test & Treat program has provided free cervical and breast cancer screenings to thousands of women. The program is funded by donations to the CAP Foundation. The CAP Foundation plans to expand See, Test & Treat so that more pathologists can collaborate with their clinical colleagues to coordinate care teams and provide essential screening services to more vulnerable women across the country.
The Loyola University Medical Center event was also supported by Hologic, Inc., the Community Memorial Foundation, the Coleman Foundation and Quest Diagnostics. Pathologists at Loyola offer a complete range of technologies and services in anatomic, clinical and molecular pathology. Loyola provides consultation on patient diagnosis in inpatient and outpatient settings throughout the Loyola system and to physicians throughout Chicago. Loyola pathologists are internationally acclaimed for research in breast and bladder cancers, coagulation, microbiology and skin cancer.
As the leading organization for board-certified pathologists, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. With more than 18,000 physician members, the CAP has led as the gold standard in laboratory accreditation for 50 years with more than 7,600 CAP-accredited laboratories in 50 countries. Find more information about the CAP at cap.org. Follow CAP on Twitter at @pathologists and visit the CAP Foundation at foundation.cap.org and follow See, Test & Treat on Twitter at #seetesttreat.
The CAP Foundation, its philanthropic arm, supports patient-centered and humanitarian initiatives led by pathologists, striving to connect people in underserved communities with the specialized skills of pathologists.
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