Central Peninsula Hospital | Pulse | Fall 2020

PULSE is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of Central Peninsula Hospital, 250 Hospital Place, Soldotna, AK 99669, phone 907-714-4404 , website www.cpgh.org . CEO: Rick Davis Marketing Manager: Camille Sorensen Information in PULSE comes from a wide range of medical experts. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. If you wish to be removed from the mailing list, please call 907-714-4600 or email marketing@cpgh.org . 2020 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Central Peninsula Hospital and its clinics (collectively “CPH”) comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Translation and other services are available to you, free of charge by calling this number: 907-714-4404 . Rick Davis, CEO Central Peninsula Hospital A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Photo by Tyson Huling Health screenings during COVID-19 While we are still in the middle of a pandemic, I want to stress to you the importance of annual health screenings that should not be put off due to COVID-19. Yearly screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies will check for cancer in people with no symptoms. Screenings can save lives with early detection. For patients with breast cancer, mammograms can detect the majority of cancers in the early stages. The patient may not feel them, but lumps can be discovered early and treatment can take place right away. Waiting for treatment can result in development of advanced cancers, which may require more aggressive treatments and have a lower survival rate. Colon cancer is prevented by finding and removing colon polyps during a colonoscopy. This screening allows for the best detection of polyps and simultaneous removal. While it may not feel safe to get your normal screenings during the pandemic, please don’t put them off. The National Cancer Institute warns that the recent drop in screenings for breast and colorectal cancer alone may lead to as many as 10,000 additional deaths in the next decade. Your concerns about COVID-19 are valid, but I want to assure you that Central Peninsula Hospital has guidelines in place to protect you and our health care team members. While annual screenings might seem like they can be put off, I encourage you to contact your primary care provider and get them scheduled, especially if you are over 40 (for mammogram) or 45 (for colo- noscopy) or you have a family history of these cancers. 2 Central Peninsula Hospital