LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – CHI St. Vincent, a leading regional health network serving Central and Southwest Arkansas, will host a Hot Springs Health Fair in conjunction with National Lung Cancer Screening Day from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. The health fair will be held in the CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs outpatient lobby and aims to enhance accessibility to screenings for lung cancer and other prominent health issues on National Lung Cancer Screening Day. In addition to lung cancer screenings, the health fair will also offer hernia and prostate assessments, as well as information about CHI St. Vincent’s bariatric program.

“With Arkansas lung cancer numbers significantly higher than in other states, this event is even more critical to our community,” said Adam Jarrett, respiratory therapist and director of hospital-based clinics at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs. “Odds of survival increase when lung cancer is caught early, so we encourage all at-risk individuals to take advantage of this life-saving screening opportunity.”

Lung cancer screenings at this event will require a PCP referral and registration by Nov. 7, and patients should bring their ID and insurance cards. This screening includes a low-dose CT lung scan. Hernia and prostate screenings do not require a referral, but patients will need to register to receive a free screening.

According to the most recent data from the American Lung Association, Arkansas ranks as one of the worst states for new cases of lung cancer. As lung cancer is easier to treat when caught early, the President’s Cancer Panel has recommended lung cancer screenings as the most effective strategy for reducing lung cancer mortality and improving health equity and access.

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women. At-risk individuals should be screened yearly. At-risk individuals include adults aged 50-80, individuals who have at least a 20-pack-per-year smoking history and those who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years. 

National Lung Cancer Screening Day is a recent initiative from the National Lung Cancer Roundtable to create easier access to lung cancer screenings among all populations — in particular, rural and racial or ethnic minority groups who live more than 30 minutes from a lung cancer screening center. The day also seeks to promote other yearly health screenings for patients.

Those wanting to register for the Hot Springs Health Fair should visit the hospital’s online events page. To learn more about National Lung Cancer Screening Day, visit nlcrt.org/lung-cancer-screening-day.