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Rotary Club, Lee Memorial plan blood screenings

By Staff | Jan 9, 2009

Routine blood screenings can mean the difference in discovering a health problem before it is too late. These simple tests administered each year uncover diseases and conditions ranging from heart disease to cancer.
Later this month, the Rotary Club of Cape Coral Goldcoast is working alongside the Lee Memorial Health System to offer low cost chemistry and blood lipid profiles at Christ Lutheran Church.
“It is to protect your health,” said Shirley Tribbe, chairwoman for blood screening. “They do 30 tests and if they know they have a problem, they can contact their doctor and get a health follow-up.”
The screenings cost $40 for local residents with an appointment and $45 for walk-ins to look for anemia, diabetes, liver disease, coronary health disease, cholesterol and kidney disease. After patients fast and the blood is drawn, they will have to wait up to two weeks for the confidential results.
According to Tribbe, all the proceeds from the blood screening will be given to Cape Coral Hospital to help the construction of a pediatric treatment room within the emergency room expansion project. The Rotary Club pledged $100,000 over the next 10 years to the hospital for the project, she said.
“In our case, the hospital is providing the service at cost and we added a small amount on top for the fund-raiser,” said Tribbe. “The blood screening process will be successful and be able to pay off that promise.”
The pediatric treatment center at Cape Coral Hospital will have three treatment rooms specifically designed for young patients. Tribbe described the treatment rooms as “child-friendly.”
Patients without insurance could save money with these blood screenings by paying a flat rate of $40 for the procedure.
“Financially, it depends whether or not you have insurance or co-pay,” said Tribbe.
For an additional $25, Lee Memorial Health System employees will administer the PSA test for men to detect prostate cancer.
More than 186,000 men will be diagnosed with this type of cancer each year, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, but if detected early there is a 90 percent cure rate.
“Seven years ago my husband did this blood screening in West Virginia and found he had prostate cancer,” said Tribbe. “It really saved his life.”
She said prostate cancer is a “silent killer” because it can exist for many years without detection.
Pre-registration for the blood screening will end Jan. 28. Residents interested in being screened have to be older than 18. For more information or enrollment forms, contact Shirley Tribbe at 945-3371.