News
GPS Hosts Successful “Breathe Easy” Lung Health Awareness Day with Mobile Lab and STEM Activities
All-day event dedicated to lung health awareness and education
On Tuesday, November 12, the GPS community participated in Lung Cancer Awareness Month through an all-day event aimed at highlighting the role of medicine and engineering in combating lung cancer, addressing the stigma surrounding the disease, and encouraging early screening.
Inside GPS’s Athletic Commons and gym, students rotated through a variety of hands-on STEM learning sessions to gain insight into lung function and disease, respiratory structures, the brain-lung connection, and the technology behind medical devices for respiratory care.
Outside, faculty, staff, and families had the opportunity to receive lung scans in CHI Memorial's Breathe Easy Lung Bus. The mobile lung coach brings low-dose CT lung screenings directly to communities, providing access to individuals who might otherwise be unable to undergo this critical scan. The primary goal of the screening is to examine the lungs for nodules, masses, or signs of lung cancer. Additionally, the scan captures an image of the heart to calculate a cardiac calcium score, offering valuable insights into heart disease or heart attack risk.
The event was the second in a two-part series organized by Cathy Headrick Fiacco '83 and in conjunction with CHI Memorial and Dr. Rob Headrick, a Chattanooga thoracic surgeon. The first event, which took place the week prior, featured student focus groups, white ribbon painting, a Chapel presentation, and more.
Both events highlighted GPS’s commitment to combining health sciences with STEM education, providing students with a deeper understanding of lung health and the importance of preventative care.
Inside GPS’s Athletic Commons and gym, students rotated through a variety of hands-on STEM learning sessions to gain insight into lung function and disease, respiratory structures, the brain-lung connection, and the technology behind medical devices for respiratory care.
Outside, faculty, staff, and families had the opportunity to receive lung scans in CHI Memorial's Breathe Easy Lung Bus. The mobile lung coach brings low-dose CT lung screenings directly to communities, providing access to individuals who might otherwise be unable to undergo this critical scan. The primary goal of the screening is to examine the lungs for nodules, masses, or signs of lung cancer. Additionally, the scan captures an image of the heart to calculate a cardiac calcium score, offering valuable insights into heart disease or heart attack risk.
The event was the second in a two-part series organized by Cathy Headrick Fiacco '83 and in conjunction with CHI Memorial and Dr. Rob Headrick, a Chattanooga thoracic surgeon. The first event, which took place the week prior, featured student focus groups, white ribbon painting, a Chapel presentation, and more.
Both events highlighted GPS’s commitment to combining health sciences with STEM education, providing students with a deeper understanding of lung health and the importance of preventative care.
