A painless screening takes only a few minutes to detect lung cancer at an early stage – when it’s more likely to be cured -- with a low-dose CT scan. Baptist Health Richmond is hosting Shine the Light for Lung Cancer Awareness Month on Wednesday, Nov. 13 in the Robert L. Telford Cancer Center at Baptist Health Richmond at 5:30 p.m. as its 100 Days of Service centennial celebration gift to the community for November.

“Kentucky’s lung cancer rate is the nation’s highest. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the Bluegrass state screens more residents who are at high risk of developing lung cancer than any state except Massachusetts,” said Firas Badin, MD, Baptist Health Medical Group Hematology & Oncology. “Low-dose CT scans can reduce the lung cancer death rate by up to 20%.”

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States. There are no symptoms in the early and most curable stages of the disease. With early detection and prompt surgical treatment, the cure rate is 92%.

An annual lung CT screening test, which uses a low dose of radiation, can detect the cancer when it’s small. The non-invasive screening is recommended for those most at risk for lung cancer: those over age 50 who have smoked, those who once smoked heavily but quit, those with a history of lung cancer, and those with other risk factors such as exposure to asbestos or who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All Baptist Health hospitals offer lung CT screening.

Historically, Baptist Health has been a leader in lung cancer awareness and prevention. In April 1970, the original Kentucky Baptist Hospital was the first in the state to remove cigarette vending machines from its premises.

Today, the state’s largest health system has invested in early detection with robotic bronchoscopy, available at six of its hospitals. The same-day procedure is a safe alternative to a traditional biopsy.

To register to attend Shine the Light for Lung Cancer Awareness, visit Events.BaptistHealth.com or call 859.408.2022.

Centennial celebration

The original Kentucky Baptist Hospital in Louisville opened its doors in November 1924 following years of rallying community support and fundraising. Baptist Health has since expanded to 10 hospitals and more than 2,700 licensed beds, reaching nearly 75 percent of Kentucky residents and a wide swath of southern Indiana.

In 2024, Baptist Health celebrates its 100th anniversary, and is marking each month with a health-related “gift” to its communities. In October, Baptist Health Medical Group in Richmond hosted flu vaccine clinics in partnership with the mobile healthcare clinic.