A free cancer screening and prevention fair organized by a St. Luke’s Cancer team member provided more than 40 screenings while highlighting the health system’s focus on prevention, treatment and long-term wellness.
The inaugural screening fair was held in February at the St. Luke’s Upper Bucks Campus and included screenings for skin cancer and head and neck cancers. Attendees also received information about screening and prevention for other forms of cancer.
The event was organized by Jesse Keiper, an oncology prevention and advocacy specialist who has worked at St. Luke’s for more than a decade. Keiper developed the fair as part of her capstone project for a master’s degree in social work from Moravian University.
Attendees also toured the Upper Bucks Center for Hope & Healing, a patient-centered space designed to support people throughout the cancer journey. Oncology dietitians were on hand to prepare smoothies and answer questions about nutrition.
The screening fair was designed to bring together multidisciplinary cancer treatment teams while showcasing St. Luke’s Centers of Excellence for cancer treatment.
The Centers of Excellence initiative is intended to strengthen communication and coordination among cancer team members as they provide individualized care. St. Luke’s currently has four Centers of Excellence, with plans to expand to 11 disease-specific cancer programs.
“It’s not just about being ‘excellent’ in the clinical setting, but it’s how we deliver care and how we work together as a team,” said Kerianne Pollinger, Director of Oncology Excellence and Accreditation at. St. Luke’s.
Pollinger, who has served as Keiper’s field supervisor for two years, encouraged her to coordinate the screening fair and said the project reflects St. Luke’s efforts to develop employees who serve their own communities.
“Jesse is homegrown St. Luke’s talent and reflects what makes our St. Luke’s family so special,” Pollinger said. “We grow our own leaders, and we approach that responsibility with the same intention and care that we bring to our patients.”
Keiper is planning the next St. Luke’s cancer screening and prevention fair for Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. to noon at St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Campus in Allentown. The event is free, and walk-ins are welcome.
Organizers said attendees may come alone or accompany family members to receive screenings and learn more about how prevention and early detection can save lives.
“It’s about that one community member who builds trust and rapport with us. Therefore, they’re going to trust the system and come to these appointments,” Jesse said. “It’s about relationship-building in the community.”
