As I have written in the past, one of the great rewards of our business is that over the years our screenings have literally saved lives. It is especially rewarding when it hits close to home.
Karen Lopez is one of our star phlebotomists. She has been with Star Wellness since 2010 and in November of that year, she participated in a routine ultrasound screening we give to all our employees.

The ultrasound showed small growths in Karen’s left thyroid gland. The growths were not large enough for physicians to detect during a routine physical, so the Radiologist advised Karen to retest every six months. In February of 2013, the screening showed that tumors had grown and she was advised to see a physician.

When a biopsy proved inconclusive she was scheduled for surgery. On the day of surgery, doctors gave Karen a choice — she could take out an entire side of her thyroid gland to be safe, or take only a portion. She decided to be safe, which turned out to be the right decision, as doctors discovered another growth on the right side, not detected in the ultrasound or biopsy. In addition, one of the lymph nodes tested positive for cancer.

Unfortunately Karen also developed a rare complication, called hypoparathyroidism, from her parathyroid glands being damaged during surgery. This happens in fewer than 3% of cases and makes the ride and recovery much more difficult since her body can no longer regulate and balance her calcium and phosphorus levels.

Karen still faces radiation treatment, which doctors say will prevent the cancer from spreading. And she also will have to continue treating her damaged parathyroid in hopes it will regain full function. But Karen knows that without that initial screening back in 2010 and the regular follow up screenings that followed, the story could have had a much different ending.

“I would not have known about the problem until my thyroid cancer had progressed to an even more serious point,” she said. “The regular screenings helped save my life.”

It is a strong story about a strong woman and a reminder that something as simple as a blood test can have life-saving implications for employees.
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