It’s April everyone. And that means that it’s Head and Neck Awareness month.

Once again, Gibson Cancer Center is teaming up with the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation to offer free screenings for head and neck cancer. The Yul Brynner Foundation was created by the late actor after an abnormality was found on his vocal chord in the 1980s. With the combined vision of Brynner and the knowledge and experience of Dr. George Sisson, the Yul Brynner Foundation was incorporated in Chicago in 1984 for the purpose of educating the public about the harmful effects of tobacco and its relationship to mouth and throat cancer.

This will be our third year of offering screenings and we are expanding our reach. Our tried and true champion, Dr. Christopher Karshner, a native of St. Pauls, has been our go-to dentist for this event for the last two years, and we couldn’t have done it without him and his dedicated, professional staff at Gane and Karshner Family Dentistry. But they had so much fun with it, that we have new and exciting partnerships eager to join us this year as well. Screening will also be held at the Gibson Cancer Center, in partnership with East Carolina University’s School of Dentistry, and Dr. Colin Osborne’s office as well. In this way, we can offer more days and times to schedule these free screenings. Most people are screened when they visit their dentist’s office.

Cancers that are known collectively as head and neck cancers usually begin in the squamous cells that line the moist, mucosal surfaces inside the head and neck (for example, inside the mouth, the nose and the throat). These squamous cell cancers are often referred to as squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Cancers of the head and neck are further categorized by the area of the head or neck in which they begin.

Cancers of the brain, the eye, the esophagus and the thyroid gland, as well as those of the scalp, skin, muscles and bones of the head and neck, are not usually classified as head and neck cancers.

The screening will be held on the following dates, times and locations. For information or to pre-register, call 910-671-5762.

— On Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. at Gibson Cancer Center, 1200 Pine Run Drive, Lumberton.

— On Thursday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Gane and Karshner Family Dentistry, 4309 Ludgate St., Lumberton.

— On April 26 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Colin P. Osbourne III Dentist, 407 W. 27th St., Lumberton.

Catherine Gaines
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_Catherine-Gaines_cmyk.jpgCatherine Gaines
Annual county screening program expanded

Catherine Gaines

Catherine Gaines is a physician assistant and patient navigator for Gibson Cancer Center, an affiliate of Southeastern Health. She can be reached at [email protected].