Robotic procedure detects lung cancer sooner: Seacoast health news
The Fabulous Find’s generosity shines on David Krempels Brain Injury Center with a $12,367.06 grant
PORTSMOUTH — The Fabulous Find, a distinguished 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to supporting local communities, has selected the David Krempels Brain Injury Center (KBIC) as one of its community partners for the month of October. The result of this collaboration is a generous grant in the amount of $12,367.06, a testament to The Fabulous Find’s ongoing dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of those in need.
Known for its mission-driven approach, The Fabulous Find operates a boutique-style resale shop in Kittery, focusing on selling designer clothing, jewelry, home accessories, furniture, music, and books. Beyond its retail operations, the organization allocates profits to provide grants to fellow community non-profit organizations selected by its board of directors each month.
KBIC members and staff posed for a photo with “the big check” Monday, Nov. 20 after and wish to extend their sincerest thanks to the Fabulous Find for this generous support. KBIC Director of Community Relations Terry Hyland said, “When I first learned about The Fabulous Find, I was floored by their commitment to helping area non-profits. Their giving is so significant to KBIC and other organizations that have benefited from their grant making in the Seacoast region. Twelve Thousand dollars is no small sum, and KBIC is so thankful for their generous support.”
The Fabulous Find encourages the community to join them in supporting KBIC and its vital work, exemplifying the spirit of collaboration for a brighter future. To make a donation to KBIC visit https://kbicenter.org/help/ways-to-give.
Greater Seacoast Community Health announces date and new venue for Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival Tour
ROCHESTER — Greater Seacoast Community Health will bring the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival Tour to the Rochester Opera House on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. The Festival aims to highlight remote cultures, intense expeditions into exotic landscapes, and bring action sports into sharp focus.
“We are excited to partner with the Rochester Opera House to hold this event and draw viewers from across the Granite State for this thrilling world class film festival,” said Joann Neumann, Development Director at Greater Seacoast Community Health. “We invite people from the Lakes Region, the Capital Region, the mountains, and beyond to come to the Seacoast and celebrate these amazing outdoor adventures captured on film.”
Event proceeds assist local individuals and families in accessing quality, affordable primary and preventive health care services through Greater Seacoast’s network of community health centers: Goodwin Community Health in Somersworth and Families First Health & Support Center in Portsmouth.
Tickets are available through the Rochester Opera House. Visit www.rochesteroperahouse.com or call 603-335-1992 to learn more.
Dartmouth Health first in New Hampshire, Maine to use robotic procedure to detect lung cancer sooner
LEBANON – Dartmouth Health’s interventional pulmonology team has seen an increase in successful lung biopsy procedures over the past year, in part, due to their use of robotic bronchoscopy. The measurement of successful biopsy, known as diagnostic yield, is higher at Dartmouth Health than the national average. This is key to improving patient outcomes since detecting lung cancer early through yearly screening can reduce lung cancer-related mortality rates by 20 percent.
The robotic platform is often used instead of a computed tomography (CT)-guided needle biopsy, which can be a higher-risk procedure in some patients. The robotic technology enables specialists to biopsy patients with smaller pulmonary nodules (rounded growths in the lungs) than was previously possible. This means physicians are more likely to catch cancer earlier and begin treatment sooner, which can make a significant improvement in a patient’s prognosis. Biopsying a lung nodule bronchoscopically also allows for the sampling of lymph nodes in the chest (known as “staging”) during the same procedure. Staging is considered a critical step in the care of patients with lung cancer.
When Dartmouth Health adopted robotic bronchoscopy in April 2022, it was the first in New Hampshire or Maine to do so. The Interventional Pulmonology team has performed more than 200 procedures using the platform since then.
As part of the multidisciplinary Comprehensive Thoracic Oncology Program (CTOP) at Dartmouth Cancer Center, Backer and Feller-Kopman are New Hampshire’s only interventional pulmonologists. These specially trained pulmonologists can use the robotic platform to navigate a patient’s airway through the throat with a 3.5-mm-diameter catheter, guided by a small camera and a three-dimensional map of the lung created from a CT scan. Once they locate the nodule of interest, a biopsy needle is fed through the catheter to retrieve the tissue. When a diagnosis is made, a patient’s case is reviewed by Dartmouth Health’s thoracic surgeons and cancer specialists to provide prompt, state-of-the art, multidisciplinary care.
Visit the Dartmouth Health website to learn more about the importance of early detection, and find out if you might be eligible for an insurance-covered early lung screening.
