Lung cancer kills more men and women in this country than any other cancer diagnosis. More women than breast cancer. More men than prostate cancer. More than colon cancer. Early lung screening can change that, said president and chief executive officer Jeff Brickman as he welcomed those attending Breathe More into Life, the 2015 St. Anthony Hospital Gala.
Proceeds from the event held at the Marriott City Center will go to the hospital’s Healthy Lung Program and its Healthy Lung Mobile Screening Unit. The vehicle, Brickman added, is designed to make early screening for lung cancer easy and accessible.
It will travel throughout Colorado, and especially to communities where early lung screenings may otherwise not be available.
“St. Anthony Hospital’s Healthy Lung Program will ensure better lung health for the community, with access to a full range of services, including pulmonary evaluation, mobile lung cancer screening, integrated diagnostic and state-of-the-art treatment options, new endobronchial technologies, as well as the latest advancements in surgery and oncology care,” Brickman said.
The gala, which sold out with 700 guests, was chaired by Drs. Thomas W. Bost and Jeffrey S. Cross. Bost, a pulmonologist, and Cross, a surgeon, also are the physician co-chairs of the Healthy Lung Program.
“We plan to provide early detection through the use of mobile CT scanning units, where a mobile CAT scan unit can go out into the communities and provide low-dose scans to patients who are at risk,” Cross explained. “Ultimately, our vision for the Healthy Lung Program is to offer better access to a full range of technologies and services.”
Bost added: “It’s really important to us that patients be able to go from the initial conversation with their primary care provider to a final diagnosis and treatment-plan generation in the shortest time possible. We’re trying to focus on ways to diagnose patients earlier and provide much more successful treatments at earlier stages.”
Guests included state Sen. Irene Aguilar; Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy; Craig Hospital president Mike Fordyce and his wife, Terri; Stacy Ohlsson, a member of the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation board; Gordon and Jeanie Willis; Leanna and David Slater; Karen and William Fisher; and Bouquets president BJ Dyer, who created the butterfly-themed decor.
Critical Care, Pulmonary & Sleep Associates was the Gold Sponsor, and the dance music was by Soul X.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joannedavidson
