From the Desk of the Chief Medical Officer
As Benjamin Franklin once said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The American Cancer Society recommends that everyone gets annual cancer screenings once they’ve reached a certain age. Cancer screenings are used to detect cancer early, even before symptoms have developed. This helps to prevent it from spreading, and allows you to get treatment when the cancer is much easier to treat.
Consider This a Reminder to Schedule Your Annual Cancer Screenings Today!
The following are some helpful choices to help maintain your health:
- Getting regular physical activity (at least 4000 steps per day has been shown to improve life expectancy)
- Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (rinse well before eating to help avoid toxic contaminants, consider buying organic for most contaminated produce)
- Avoid highly processed foods (Eat foods the way God makes them)
- Limit alcohol. If you do drink, drink responsibly.
- Protect your skin from the sun. When using sunscreen, use sun screen without carcinogens (toxins that cause cancer)
- Know your family medical history of certain cancers and let your doctor know
- Getting regular check-ups and cancer screenings
- Pray often and enjoy time in community (belonging to a faith-based community often correlates to Blue Zones, the areas of the world where people live over 100).
How Solidarity Shares Annual Cancer Screenings
Solidarity HealthShare’s Wellness Policy contains a comprehensive list of screenings that are eligible for sharing for Members. This includes a hereditary cancer genetic screen if you are high risk. High risk includes anyone with a first-degree relative who has had cancer or anyone with a family member with a diagnosed cancer gene.
Adults ages 50 to 75 are eligible for a colonoscopy every 10 years to screen for colon cancer. Similarly, adults 55 to 80 can receive an annual lung cancer screening if they are at high risk for lung cancer. High risk patients are smokers who have at least a 30-pack year who have quit within the last 15 years. Their annual screening may be discontinued once they have successfully avoided smoking for 15 years.
Our team at Solidarity HealthShare is committed to helping Members receive their annual cancer screenings at a low cost. You can find more information about our Sharing Guidelines here, or by giving us a call at 844-313-4999.
Join the Movement
Solidarity HealthShare is a non-profit healthcare sharing ministry rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church. Established in 2016, we operate on the Catholic principles of solidarity and subsidiarity. We strive to be in accordance with the Church’s commitment to promoting life-affirming, ethical healthcare. We seek to promote healthcare that honors the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.
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