Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the state of Tennessee, claiming one life every two hours. The rate of new cases in the state is rising by 68.9 percent in comparison to the national rate of 58.7 percent. While the statistic is high, lung screening efforts in Tennessee are turning lung cancer patients into lung cancer survivors. Continued education and public awareness are critical for the city and region to save more lives, said officials.
Community leaders have joined the effort to promote awareness throughout the month to save lives. Last year County Mayor Jim Coppinger received his lung screening aboard the Breathe Easy lung bus and this year, Mayor Tim Kelly will follow suit. Retired Chattanooga Police Chief Freeman Cooper has seen his fair share of challenges throughout his law enforcement career but notes that lung cancer is the challenge of his life. “As a career law enforcement officer, my mission was always to ‘serve and protect’. Today it takes on new meaning to encourage as many people as possible to get a simple screening to keep your lungs safe.”
Students from Notre Dame High School have volunteered their time to hand craft ribbon-shaped signs to share with the community as an additional means of awareness and recognize those who have led this effort in our community. “Mayors Tim Kelly and Jim Coppinger have joined our team to promote lung cancer awareness throughout the city and county," said Dr. Rob Headrick. "We hope the public has seen white ribbons throughout the month of November being worn by friends and professionals. The ribbons not only promote awareness, but also serve as a reminder to get a lung screening. Our mortality rates are going down and we’re excited about the progress in our community, but there’s much more work to do. Together, we can stop this disease.”
Dr. Headrick shared that the combination of having screening readily available and providing support after the diagnosis is incredibly helpful to patients and their caregivers. “The model we’ve built combines accessibility to technology on the front end to emotional and logistical support after the diagnosis. Over the last 36 months of operations, we have the data to show this model not only works, but works well. We invite potential partners to join us in our mission to cure lung cancer and to provide technology that can be used for future challenges.”
To receive additional information or to book Dr. Headrick for speaking engagements, contact Robin@Derryberrypr.com or call 755-7588. To learn more about Dr. Headrick visit, @Dr.RobHeadrick on Facebook or the Second Wind Society.
ABOUT DR. ROB HEADRICK
Dr. Headrick is a local thoracic surgeon and Chattanooga native who leads a team responsible for providing care throughout the region. He also serves as Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In this capacity, Headrick is responsible for resident education in Thoracic Surgery; designs and implements clinical rotation for fourth year General Surgery Residents; supports didactic conferences and research projects; and, mentors residents planning to pursue a Thoracic Surgery Fellowship. He was awarded the St Luke’s Healer’s Heart Award for Inclusion in 2021, Champions of Healthcare Innovation award in 2020, Health Policy and Leadership Scholarship ACS/STS in 2017; the UTCOM Resident Teaching Award in 2014; and, the ‘STSA Physician Inspiration Award’ in 2013.
Dr. Headrick earned his MBA from the University of Tennessee; completed his Thoracic Surgery Residency at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine; completed his General Surgery Residency at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine; earned his MD From the University of Tennessee College of Medicine; and, earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University.