St. Mary Medical Center to ‘Shine a Light’ on COPD and lung disease at annual program

St. Mary Medical Center will host its annual program, “Shine a Light on COPD and Lung Disease,” from 1:30-4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18. The program will feature physician presentations on lung cancer screenings, minimally invasive robotic thoracic surgery and the diagnosis, treatment and management of COPD-related illnesses. There will also be a health fair featuring free screenings and information.   

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer affect millions of Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer for men and women. COPD includes such diseases as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma, conditions that can lead to frequent hospitalizations and significantly impact patients’ quality of life.  

At the Shine a Light event, Cardiothoracic Surgeon Jason Frazier, MD, will discuss surgical approaches to lung cancer treatment, particularly minimally invasive options using the da Vinci robotic surgical platform. Frazier will emphasize the importance of lung cancer screening to the early detection of the disease which can increase the opportunity for successful surgical outcomes and recovery.

St. Mary Medical Center is a Center of Excellence for Robotic Surgery, as designated by the Surgical Review Corporation. It is also a Center of Excellence for lung cancer screening, as designated by the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer.

Also at the event, Pulmonologists Sharon Harig, MD, and Bilal Safadi, MD, will address the causes, symptoms, treatment and management of COPD-related illnesses.

The event will also include a health fair featuring information on cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, the proper use of respiratory medication, nutrition and diet for COPD patients, smoking cessation and other relevant topics. There will be a chair yoga session for participants.

Free screenings will include spirometry testing and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency testing. There will also be a limited number of free radon testing kits available to participants on a first-come, first-serve basis. After smoking, radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer causing an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths annually, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  

Shine a Light on COPD and Lung Disease is presented by Cancer Care Support Services and Respiratory Therapy of St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. It is one of four hospitals of Community Healthcare System that also includes Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and Community Stroke and Rehabilitation Center in Crown Point.

To learn more about the locations, services and physicians of Community Healthcare System, visit COMHS.org.