Support NOAH’s Mission and Community Impact

/in ,

NOAH impacts 45,000 lives every year and each one of those lives is a story of hope, compassion, and community. Donations from the community directly support NOAH’s mission.

When Theresa came into a NOAH clinic without an appointment this summer, she asked about just one concern: her blood pressure. NOAH gets patients the care they need, so even though the schedules were full that day, Theresa saw a provider.

During Theresa’s appointment, the doctor noticed and asked about other medical issues that had clearly been a big issue for a long time. Theresa explained that she had been to other health centers and community clinics, but none of them took the issues seriously or discuss treatments. And they were serious issues.

NOAH treats the whole patient because health and wellness are so much more than symptoms on a list.

That day her doctor also learned that Theresa was struggling with housing, food, and that she was the guardian of her younger sister with developmental delays. Theresa was facing a lot, but luckily, she was at NOAH. NOAH’s community resource team helped her get housing, food resources, and transportation to get to further medical appointments.

Her NOAH doctor took the time to build trust, allowing Theresa to get further tests, treatments, and referrals for specialists to address her health issues with the same care and compassion as NOAH.

Theresa had a voice in her treatment at NOAH, and was treated with care, patience, and respect. Theresa’s future is much brighter because she walked into NOAH that summer day.

This is just one patient. Support NOAH’s comprehensive care, which includes medical care, mental health services, virtual healthcare options, and community resources to allow patients to take care of their health, their families, and themselves.

Donations to NOAH qualify for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit. This is a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. To learn more about how this works, visit here: https://noahhelps.org/tax-credit/

Understand Lung Cancer

/in

By Olivia Wong, DO Family Medicine Resident PGY-1

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States for men and women. About 218,500 people in the United States are diagnosed with lung cancer each year, and sadly about 142,000 people die from the disease each year.

The Facts About Lung Cancer

Risk Factors:

  • Smoking is the most common cause (Approximately 9 out of 10 cases of lung cancer)
  • Secondhand smoke, family history of lung cancers, history of breast or chest radiation therapy
  • Exposures to: radon, soot, tar, asbestos, nickel, chromium, arsenic

Lung Cancer Screening:

  • According to the United States Preventive Services Task Force, they recommend screening with low-dose CT scan in individuals who meet all of the below criteria:
    • Adults 50 – 80 years old
    • 20 pack-year smoking history (pack-year calculation: number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day x number of years the person has smoked)
    • Those who currently smoke OR have quite within the past 15 years.

Symptoms:

  • Symptoms vary among different people. However, many don’t experience any symptoms until advanced stages of lung cancer

What Can You Do About Lung Cancer?

  • Do not start smoking
  • Quit if you smoke

There are many health benefits no matter what age you quit, how long you have smoked, or how much you have smoked.

Health Benefits of Quitting:

  • Within minutes: Your heart rate and blood pressure improve
  • 24 – 48 Hours – Your nicotine levels in the body drops to zero and lungs start to clear mucus and debris
  • 1-12 Months – Your cough and breathing improves
  • 1 – 2 years – Your risk of heart attack decreases
  • 3 – 6 years – Your added risk of coronary artery disease decreases by half
  • 5 – 10 years – Your added risk of mouth and throat cancers decrease by half and your added risk of stroke decreases
  • 10 -15 years – Your added risk of lung cancer decreases by half
  • 15 years – Your risk of coronary heart disease decreases to be that of someone who does not smoke
  • 20 years – Your risk of mouth and throat cancers decreases to be that of someone who does not smoke

For help quitting, make an appointment with your NOAH provider, visit cdc.gov/quit, call 1 (800) QUIT-NOW (784-8669), or text “QUIT” to 47848. We are here to help you!