Melinda spent time caring for her mother who was diagnosed with lung cancer a few months before she died. Melinda herself smoked sporadically for about 30 years, starting in college when it was the ‘cool’ thing to do. Though she quit when she had children and was able to stay off tobacco for many years, stress caused her to pick the habit back up. But watching her mother suffer and pass away made her think about her own health.
So, about eight years ago Melinda tried to quit again, this time relying on nicotine gum to curb cravings. During this time, she was diagnosed with AFIB, a heart condition that is characterized by an irregular, rapid heartbeat. She had ablation surgery to fix the problem, and when she woke up and knew she would never touch cigarettes or nicotine again.
In 2015, Melinda saw that the employee benefits division had sent out emails encouraging those who qualified to get a free low-dose CT scan. She decided to ask her primary care physician about it, and he agreed she was a candidate and helped her make an appointment. Since then, Melinda has faithfully received a CT scan every year as part of her annual check-ups.
At her first CT scan, they identified a 3mm nodule which wasn’t concerning at the time but warranted watching. Each year, the nodule seemed benign, until 2023, when it started to grow at a rapid rate. “When I went for my low-dose CT in 2023 it had grown to about 8mm, and then when they had me come back in three months to check it again and it had grown to 1.7cm which was over double in size,” she said.
The next step was a biopsy, which confirmed she has adenocarcinoma. A PET scan a few days later showed that her cancer had not metastasized, so she was clear for surgery. Luckily, as soon as she heard about her diagnosis, Melinda began to research thoracic surgeons, which helped her quickly schedule surgery with the doctor she chose. On August 13, 2023, Melinda had the upper lobe of her right lung removed without a hitch. Her prognosis was so good they were able to forgo chemotherapy and radiation.
Spreading the Word About Lung Cancer Screening
Since her surgery, Melinda has told her story to anyone who would listen, hoping that if she can encourage others to get the scan, it could save their life too. “I have about six friends now that I have hounded until they went and got the scan, and they have nodules that are being watched. But there is no telling how many people could be saved if they just went in.” She also stressed the importance of consistency, stating that if she hadn’t gone back year-after-year, they may not have caught the cancer before it had spread. “People don’t know how easy it is. I tell them you will sit longer in a drive-thru waiting for a drink. It takes less time than that to get a lifesaving CT scan,” she laughed.
Melinda lives in rural Arkansas, about 65 miles from Little Rock, and she believes that people in rural communities are particularly at risk. “I am a firm believer that if we could get low-dose CT scans in rural areas like the one I live in, it could save many lives,” said Melinda. “Because people simply won’t go if it isn’t convenient, even if they are eligible. I want everyone to be able to be a lung cancer survivor, my cancer is gone.”
Advocacy Day
Additionally, Melinda’s oncologist recommended her to participate in this year’s LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day. She told her story to her members of Congress from Arkansas and stressed the importance of Medicare and Medicaid. She explained that during her 35-year career with the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of County Operations, she experienced firsthand how essential access to quality, affordable health care coverage is. “I watched a women die waiting to get approved for Medicaid for her chemotherapy,” she said. “I think when you see someone not get what they need firsthand, it is truly eye-opening.”
She also spoke about research, and how because of the strides that have been taken in treatment options for lung cancer, she was able to have a much less invasive and painful experience than patients even 10 years ago.
But her biggest message is the importance of CT scans and how this simple test saved her life. She continues to take every opportunity to spread the word including participating in news interviews, radio shows, podcasts and online articles. “I don’t understand why so many people still don’t know about low-dose CT scans. Only a small percentage of those eligible are getting screened. If someone meets the criteria, in my opinion, it’s the best thing they can do for themselves and, most importantly, for their family.”
Learn more and take our quiz to see if you qualify for a low-dose CT scan at SavedByTheScan.org.
Blog last updated: July 7, 2025
