Perry Lawrence, 66, of Cedar Rapids, had a long history of smoking. He started after graduating high school in 1976 and kept up the habit for nearly five decades, until kicking it after receiving a lung cancer diagnosis in Spring of 2023.
Lung Check Catches Cancer in Early Stage
“That’s why I was getting pre-emptive scans,” said Lawrence of his smoking history. “I was having no symptoms, and they caught it very early.”
Lawrence’s cancer was caught early thanks to the Lung Check screening program, which the Nassif Community Cancer Center offers in partnership with UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital.
Lung Check is an annual screening recommended for current or former smokers who quit within the past 15 years, are ages 50 to 77, and have smoked at least a pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years. Patients are given a CT scan of the chest, which is a quick, non-invasive test that uses low doses of radiation to provide 3D images of your lungs in seconds.
Coordinated Care
The first member of the care team Lawrence met was his Care Coordinator Ann Richardson, RN. A care coordinator is a patient’s constant point of contact throughout the cancer journey, from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. They assess patient needs and set up referrals within the care team.
“Ann was very good,” said Lawrence. “She was extremely cordial, courteous and professional.”
Surgery and Road to Recovery
Because Lawrence’s cancer was caught early, chemo and radiation were not necessary. The only treatment required was a surgery to remove part of his lung. For that procedure, he met with Garry Weide, DO, and the team at UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Heart and Lung Surgery.
“They informed me about everything and were very professional,” recalled Lawrence. “That’s what I want out of a physician.”
The surgery to remove his cancer was successful, but Lawrence, who was already recovering from a broken femur and dealing with back issues when he received his diagnosis, had to return to the operating table for back surgery shortly after the lung procedure. Additionally, about 13 years before Lawrence ever stepped foot in the Community Cancer Center, he suffered a serious neck injury that left him with some limited use of his arms and legs.
“I was physically worn down,” said Perry. “I was told about the amenities offered at the Community Cancer Center, but I thought I couldn’t take advantage of them in my condition. But I’ve always liked going to the gym and it piqued my curiosity.”
The Nassif Community Cancer Center is proud to offer the area’s largest selection of support services for cancer patients and survivors. These amenities include individual and group exercise, social work, nutrition guidance, massage therapy and much more, all at little to no cost to the patient.
“I asked one of the nurses after one of my appointments if I could just peek in the gym,” recalled Lawrence. “So, I did, and they said, ‘Why don’t you meet with Matt?’ I thought it couldn’t hurt, so I did.”
Exercise Helps “Restore Identity” and “Get Persona Back”
Lawrence scheduled a meeting with Matt Schmitz, CSCS, CES, AFT, cancer exercise specialist at the Community Cancer Center, to discuss exercise offerings and they came up with a plan tailored to his specific needs.
“Matt is an extraordinary person,” said Lawrence. “Not only is he knowledgeable about the physical aspect of things, but his patient rapport is outstanding.”
“I almost had a defeatist attitude about my physical condition,” he continued. “But Matt started me out with very simple things like working on balance. It just felt good to be doing something and that really inspired me. I felt like I had lost my identity as a person, and it helped restore that and kind of gave me my persona back.”
Perry’s Advice: Become an Active Member of Your Care Team
Lawrence hopes his story inspires other cancer patients to be proactive with their cancer journey and to be an active participant in your care.
“At first, I looked at my situation as I had a team working for me. But the more I went to the cancer center, my concept of that changed. I thought, instead of having a team working for me, I was going to think about it as working with this team and being part of the team. That philosophy really helped me.”
This outlook helped Lawrence to change his perspective and make the most of the resources available to him through the Community Cancer Center.
“Working with them adds new value to your cancer journey,” he said. “If you have something to say or some input to give, you can do that. It elevated my self-worth and made me feel like I was more than just a patient. These people really do care.”
Face Lung Cancer with Confidence
For more information about Lung Check, talk to your primary care provider or visit communitycancercenter.org/lung. If you’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer, or any type of cancer, the Nassif Community Cancer is here for you. For more information on our extensive offering of support services, call (319) 558-4876 or visit communitycancercenter.org.
Podcast Episode: Lung Cancer Screening
Mallory Kaemmer, supervisor at St. Luke’s Nassif Radiation Center, joins Dr. Arnold to discuss the Lung Check screening program, who qualifies, what the test is like and much more.
