FirstHealth of the Carolinas and Lung Cancer Initiative (LCI) are proud to announce a partnership to launch the Screening Saves program across the Sandhills region, bringing increased awareness, education and access to lung screening for residents and health care providers throughout central North Carolina.
Screening Saves is a state-wide initiative launched by Lung Cancer Initiative in 2024 to raise awareness and leverage partnerships with health care providers like FirstHealth to improve lung screening rates through community engagement and health care provider education.
Through this partnership, FirstHealth and LCI will work together to promote early detection of lung cancer and reduce barriers that prevent high-risk individuals from receiving potentially life-saving screenings.
The partnership builds upon FirstHealth’s existing efforts to increase lung screening awareness and access, including the FirstHealth Lung Bus, a mobile imaging unit that delivers low-dose CT screenings directly to communities across the health system’s 15-county service area.
“We are thrilled to partner with LCI on this important initiative,” said Bradley Icard, D.O., interventional pulmonologist with Pinehurst Medical Clinic and medical director of FirstHealth’s Lung Screening Program, in a press release. “Together, we have the opportunity to reach more individuals who may be eligible for lung screening, educate both patients and providers about the benefits of early detection and remove barriers to care. This partnership strengthens the work already underway across our region and will help us improve outcomes for the communities we serve.”

“LCI and FirstHealth share a common goal — to expand access to lung screenings and improve early detection rates that ultimately saves lives,” said Paige Humble, CEO, Lung Cancer Initiative, in a press release. “When we partner together and with others throughout the community, we can reach more individuals at high risk, break down barriers to screening and ensure that life-saving resources are readily available to our communities.”

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, but when detected early, treatment is far more effective. According to Dr. Icard, individuals diagnosed with Stage 1 lung cancer can experience five-year survival rates of 95%, compared with approximately 15% for those diagnosed at Stage IV.

Through Screening Saves, FirstHealth and LCI will expand lung screening efforts by engaging communities across the region through educational and screening events, provider outreach and targeted awareness campaigns focused on increasing screening rates among at-risk populations. 

“Our goal is simple, to save lives through earlier detection,” said Icard in a press release. “By combining the reach of FirstHealth’s Lung Screening program and the Lung Bus with the resources and expertise of Lung Cancer Initiative, we can connect more people with screening and ensure they receive the care they need when it matters most.

For more information about the FirstHealth Lung Bus and lung screening eligibility, visit www.firsthealth.org/lungbus.