Vim & Vigor - Summer 2018 - Community Healthcare - 13

Cervical cancer screenings have made a tremendous difference in survival rates since the Pap test was introduced in
the 1940s.
"Cervical cancer screening is one of the most successful
public health interventions we've ever had," Saslow says.
"Deaths dropped over 70 percent once Pap screening was
introduced. In countries without screening, cervical cancer
is one of the leading cancer killers of women."
Regular screenings can also help providers intercept the
development of cervical cancer. Pap tests screen for the presence of cancerous and precancerous cells in the cervix. HPV
tests screen for the types of HPV that have the potential to
develop into cancer.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that
women be screened with a Pap test every three years between
ages 21 and 65. At age 30, women can switch to a Pap test plus
an HPV test every five years.
"In the U.S., hundreds of thousands of women every year
are diagnosed with advanced cervical precancers, which can be
treated or removed before they progress to cancer," Saslow says.

Life After Cervical Cancer

Treatment options for cervical cancer include surgery to remove
cancerous lesions, hysterectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.
The sooner the cancer is identified, the more conservative doctors can be with their treatment recommendations. Fortunately
for Andrews, her cancer was discovered early enough that
surgery to remove the cancerous portions of her cervix alone
was effective.
Her cancer experience strengthened her relationship with
then-boyfriend Jarret Stoll, a former NHL hockey player. The
couple married in June 2017.
"It was a huge step for my relationship with my boyfriend at
the time," she told Health magazine. "Because you don't know if
a guy is going to want to sit in with an oncologist and see, 'OK,
so this is your cervix, and this is your uterus, and we are cutting
out this part.' ... He was amazing."
With Stoll's support, Andrews decided to open up to her
co-workers and the public about her experience. The response
she received was overwhelmingly positive.
"After the trial, everyone kept telling me, 'You're so strong
for going through all of this, for holding down a job in football,
for being the only woman on the crew,'" Andrews told Sports
Illustrated. "Finally, I got to the point where I believed it, too.
'Hey, I have cancer, but dammit, I am strong, and I can do this.'"
The experience may have even helped her career.
"In a way, this all has allowed me to relate to players more,"
Andrews told the sports outlet. "I understand what it's like to
be the story." ■

SCREENING
TIME
The best way to detect cancer is through
early screening. There's no better way to
maintain your health and detect illness
early than by practicing preventive care.
The hospitals of Community Healthcare
System-Community Hospital, Munster,
St. Catherine Hospital, East Chicago, and
St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart-offer various preventive cancer screenings to help
you stay on track with your health. We also
offer free personalized assistance to help
you select a doctor who is right for you.
Annual screening mammograms are
recommended for women over age 40 or
who have a family history of breast cancer.
Prostate cancer screenings are recommended for men age 50 and over or age 40
and over with a family history. Skin cancer
screenings examine questionable areas on
the body to look for indications of cancer
or precancerous conditions. A baseline
colonoscopy is recommended beginning at
age 50 and then every 10 years for averagerisk individuals.
These tests can provide valuable information about your health so you can
remain active and enjoy life.

CLASS

To Your Health
The hospitals of
Community Healthcare System
offer screenings, classes and
free physician referrals. Call
219-836-3477 or 866-836-3477.
Assistance is available in English
and Spanish.

SUMME R 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2018 - Community Healthcare